Picture of Diana Vickers: Glamourmagazine.co.uk
Saturday 24 July 2010
today i'm pondering... cocktail wear
Picture of Diana Vickers: Glamourmagazine.co.uk
Thursday 22 July 2010
today i love... my high-waisted silk shorts
The shorts made their first outing on Tuesday, when I wore them to rendezvous with a gorgeous friend of mine, and took them first to see Twilight Eclipse and then to the chicken heaven that is Nando's. Gosh I'm classy. Anyway, they looked rather delightful paired with a cream & black polka dot tiered cropped top (a Topshop number, bien sûr), my tan leather satchel slung over the shoulder and the gorgeous tan heels I waxed lyrical about in my very first post. There was even a teeny bit of midriff visible between the high waistband and the cropped top. Shocking, I know. But somehow a tiny sliver of flesh just above the waist looks the very opposite of the horrifying pasty muffin top spilling over low-rise jeans. Shudder. So yes, the shorts were very successful on that outing. The shoes not so much... I came home with approximately ten blisters. But you know what they say, mes chéris, beauty is pain...
Saturday 10 July 2010
today i'm channelling... clémence poésy
Let's start with the trousers, shall we? A high waist is always very chic, eliminating as it does all possibility of unwanted flesh exposing itself (quelle horreur), and Clem's (I like to think we'd be on nickname terms if we knew one another) perfectly tailored trousers are just loose and silky enough to skim and flatter her petite figure without drowning it. Quality is of course of the essence with tailoring, especially pour les français, so take care when selecting a pair. I like the look of River Island's Wide Leg Tailored Trouser, £29.99, but without trying them on I can't be sure if they'd give as fabulously nonchalant an effect as our muse's.
Anyway, onto the shirt. Perfectly loose, half-unbuttoned, with sleeves casually rolled up, and excellently gives off the impression that Clémence carelessly picked it up off the floor as she sipped her morning espresso and threw it on. Or something like that. This exact air of dressing is not very easily imitated, but then again, one can always try. Again it's the quality of the shirt that will make or break your look here. Try Topshop's Washed Military Cotton Shirt, £28, on for size. You may want something a little silkier, but I rather like the shoulder-tab detail on this guy.
And last, but certainly in no way least, is that fabulous bag. A little bit structured, a little bit squishy, a little bit smart and a little bit casual. It's the perfect accessory to elevate this look out of potentially-boring territory, adding a dose of quirkiness but without looking too try-hard or out-of-place (a bright bag, for example, would look all wrong here. The French don't really do colours anyway: another reason I love their style). I like to imagine that Clémence found hers lying around in her grandmother's attic or something, but in lieu of a vintage treasure, Topshop have two really rather wonderful offerings that would complement this look no end. First up is the effortlessly chic Leather Chain Handle Bag, which serves as a slightly edgier version of the classic Chanel 2.55, and looks a lot more expensive than its £45. The exposed burnished-gold chain would add just the right amount of rock'n'roll edge for anyone looking to take this look firmly away from the workplace (though à mon avis this look is spot-on for the office). The second brilliant armwear option is probably my favourite (and I am seriously considering shelling out for it). Topshop's Two Tone Leather Satchel, £60, offers a slightly more trend-appropriate option, given that satchels are literally everywhere at the moment (and rightly so, for they are beautiful, practical and amazing). And those three adjectives have never been more appropriate than when applied to this delightful black & brown leather wonder, with its gold clasp and somehow humble, understated elegance. Je ne doute pas that Clémence would carry it with pride.
Now, all that remains is for you to roll out of bed without running a brush through your hair, dab on minimal make-up (a dash of mascara and a lip stain, perhaps), fling your outfit on carelessly, grab a croissant on the way to work and stand around all day with your hands nonchalantly in your pockets, exuding an aura of je ne sais quoi.
Picture of Clémence Poésy: Elleuk.com
today i am...
Wednesday 7 July 2010
today i love... vogue's 'today i'm wearing' blog
Monday 5 July 2010
today i'm channelling... ashley olsen
Today's inspiration is Ashley looking rather delightful at the amFAR Gala in New York:
I love how she manages to incorporate countless trends into her look (jumpsuits, neutral shades, tribal prints, box clutches) and still look as though she threw it on in five minutes with an air of nonchalance. The outfit also effortlessly manages to avoid looking too busy or too slave-to-the-trends. You see why I love her so? Anyway, I'll be copying this look with a few genius high-street pieces (or at least I would if I had the money).
First up is Kookai's Lace Front Military Jumpsuit, which is £75 at Asos.com. Yes it's a wee bit on the pricey side, but it's a dead ringer for Ms Olsen's, and is sure to be a whole lot cheaper than the original, which is in fact from the Olsens' own line The Row. The lovely nude shade and slouchy fit make it super versatile. You could get away with any kind of jacket on top of said jumpsuit, but I do love Ashley's unexpected addition of a Dries Van Noten tribal one. Similar specimens of outerwear are unfortunately in short supply on the high street; I perused Asos's excellent Africa collection, which is full of amazing tribal-print maxidresses, jumpsuits and bags, but sadly found no suitable item. The closest I've come is Miss Selfridge's Black Embellished Detail Cape, £55, but the appliqué is floral rather than tribal. I also rather like River Island's 3/4 Sleeve Jacket in cream with silver stripes, but this colourway might not work with the nude jumpsuit. Rather than accept a poor substitute, I may be inclined to throw on a little leather bomber instead, and add the tribal detail with a chunky beaded necklace.
Finally, feast your eyes on Asos's Black Leather Keyhole Clutch Bag. £60 is a lot for a tiny wee bag, granted, but it is simply divine, and the perfect thing to add a slightly tough edge to this ensemble. So that's my outfit sorted then. Now if only I had a posh New York Gala to go to...
Picture of Ashley Olsen: Elleuk.com
today i am...
... drinking Yorkshire tea, of course. I usually average 8 mugs a day (big mugs too, not weedy little ones).
... listening to Scott Mills on Radio 1. He is an extremely funny man. I love Oh! What's Occurring? more than is probably advisable. Also loving the following tunes today: Bang Bang Bang by Mark Ronson, Just Be Good To Green by Professor Green feat. Lily Allen, XXXO by MIA and Tenderoni by Kele Okereke.
... reminiscing about my holiday to Lagos, Portugal last week. Two friends and I spent a chilled week sunbathing, having rooftop cocktails and burritos, eating figs and watermelon on the beach, meeting thousands of Australians (there can't be any left in Australia from what I've seen) and generally taking a much-appreciated break from life.
... watching The City. Quite possibly my favourite programme of all time at the moment. I am obsessed by Olivia Palermo's impeccable fashion sense, and I absolutely want Whitney Port to be my friend.
today i love... my new shoes
They are Topshop's June Crossover Peeptoe Heels and they cost £55. Now this is usually more than I would spend on footwear (I prefer to splash out on jackets), but sometimes you have to throw caution to the wind. When shoes are as simultaneously beautiful and versatile as these, that ridiculously pointless 'cost-per-wear' equation suddenly seems extremely relevant. "When you think about it, I'll wear them every single day for the rest of my life ever," my inner monologue (JD from Scrubs-style) tells me excitedly, "making them about 0.001p per day! They're an absolute bargain!" No, I don't really believe that, but it somehow assuages the inevitable shopper's guilt.
Plus, if I ever get a job, they will be absolutely perfect for work. The mini-heel doesn't fall into the usual mini-heel trap of looking a bit ridiculous (this is because it is, crucially, not a kitten heel, but a fairly chunky heel), therefore making them eminently practical for daytime; they are also tan and therefore go with absolutely everything under the sun; I am already imagining them paired with city shorts, my new slinky khaki camisole and some huge round sunglasses, Lauren Conrad-style.
I think by now I have suitably demonstrated why these shoes are definitely just my cup of tea.