Lessons From Valentino

WEARING

Thursday, 4 May

The Spring Summer collection from Mr. Valentino was one of my favourites, all of the incredible embroidery and detail on the dresses, a kind of nod to all things Grecian, Egyptian, North African? Whatever it was it was beautiful, and I couldn't wait to see the collection land which it has, in volume, across my favourite online sites.

The new love on all street style shots have to these fringed bags, I guarantee they will be the new it clutch of the season, along with these coin/gryphon studded shoes (that come in every type of 'flat' you can think of).

I also couldn't help but fall in love with this simple blue shirt (as seen on Mira Duma at the Vogue Festival... that's probably why) teamed with these simple structured Carven shorts is my idea of a perfect Spring outfit.

So what i've learnt for dressing this summer a la Valentino, I will need a) a lot of fringed goods, b) a lot of accessories with Gryphon's on them and c) some kind of embroidered pieces with lots of Grecian coins attached. The hunt begins!

Blue shirt by Valentino at Farfetch

Gryphon Studded shoes by Valentino at Farfetch

Gryphon Fringed clutch by Valentino at Net-a-Porter

Shorts by Carven at Farfetch

Gryphon Sandals by Valentino at Mytheresa

Sunglasses by Celine at Department Femenin

The New Sweatpants

Celine, available on request from Departement Feminin

The new sweatpants; the comfortable kind that are so luxurious you can now actually be seen in them in public without people thinking you ran out of time in the morning watching Breaking Bad on Netflix and forgot to change for work. Having spent some time on my new favourite website, Department Feminin, I have been easily drawn into viewing the beautiful ready-to-wear pieces by Celine (which are hard to find in pictures other than lookbook images and actually visiting the store), upon which I came across the subject in question, the new sweatpants. Lucky for us, we can find some pretty awesome wallet friendly alternatives that give off the same 'sport-luxe' vibe for spring dressing. Pair with a cashmere sweater, wool scarf, and skate shoes for the Philo feel!

Left to right:

Uniqlo Tapered Joggers £14.90, J. Crew Cashmere Joggers £298, Zara Seamed Velour Trousers £19.99
Cos Cotton Trousers £49, Zara Plush Trousers £39.99, Zara Grey Velour Trousers £19.99

In A Twist

New in; Spring 2014 Céline Knot bracelet in Gold. The silver was also incredibly tempting! I loved the original thicker style from previous seasons but immediately fell in love when I saw this extra thin version! It also comes in a rose gold, in sizes small medium and large. 

Little insight... it's available online from Département Féminin and you can get 10% with your first order. I hope that helps the justification if you're thinking about it! Happy Saturday everyone!

Simple Sunday

The simple edit - I always find come January i'm ready to clear out the lonely, unused pieces in my wardrobe and send them off to a more appreciative home via eBay, to make way for (and attempt to justify) all the new season wardrobe additions. As always, monochrome pieces along with the usual grey's and navy's are my fail-safe basics, so here are my top classic 'uniform' pieces of right now...
P.S - The awesome leather pants are in final sale at Tibi
P.P.S - New season SS14 Saint Laurent shoes come in the form of silver ballerina's... but Topshop have already saved us there with the very same style
P.P.P.S - The new Jamie jeans from Topshop are the best fit and quality I have come across in a long time, having seen a decrease in the quality of the original Leigh and Jamie skinny's last season. As good as, if not better than the J Brand 811 Photo Ready's and a quarter of the price, hurrah again for Topshop!

ZigZag Ivory shorts at Topshop

Valentino Rockstud bag at Mytheresa

Grey bleached cable knit sweater at Joseph

Silver ballerina pumps at Topshop

Ivory ribbed sweater at Topshop Boutique

Classic dark wash 'Jamie' skinny jeans at Topshop

Black leather slouch trousers at Tibi (Sale!)

Saint Laurent chain strap leather boots at Mytheresa

Fresh Start

The pieces to start coveting for 2014! Cruise is already here and I am super excited to be planning all short-skirt-sweater outfit combo's regardless of how miserable and grey it is outside... and fear not! There are still some amazing sale pieces to score in the final few days so don't miss out. Join me in creating endless wishlists and pretending it's Spring time in Paris and you can rock a wool coat with bare legs already! Let's face it, it's nearly fashion week and you'll need the practise...

Stella McCartney wool grey coat at Net-a-Porter (Sale!)

Mother of Pearl floral silk shorts at SSENSE and Net-a-Porter

Isabel Marant leather sandals at Matches

Iris & Ink stripe cashmere sweater at The Outnet

Next grid sheer skirt at Next.co.uk

Aquazurra suede pumps at Net-a-Porter

Celine sunglasses at Celine Paris, Selfridges, Harrods (Sale!)

Olympia Le Tan 'Manners for Men' clutch at Net-a-Porter and Farfetch

Last Minute Luxury

Only three days left until Christmas day! Or perhaps more importantly, only three days left to get last minute presents bought delivered and wrapped in time. So fear not, there is still time to avoid any supermarket-garage-present situations.. here are some of the best luxury last minute stocking fillers under £200, that you can get online before Christmas (or in store if you prefer..)

From left to right -
Saint Laurent leather zip wallet £170, at Net-a-Porter (order by Sunday 21st for Monday delivery)
Creme de la Mer, from £105 at John Lewis, House of Fraser, Selfridges (in-store/online)
Kora Organics Rose hip body oil, £45 at Net-a-Porter
Aesop Resurrection Aromatique hand balm £19, at Selfridges, Liberty (in-store/online)
Smythson 'Bright and Beautiful' Panama leather note book, £45 at Selfridges and Smythson (in-store/online)
Monica Vinader diamond stacking rings, selection starting from £160 at Monica Vinader, Selfridges, Harrods (in-store/online)
Pretty Loafers camouflage loafers £194 at Farfetch
Aesop Reverence Aromatique hand wash £69 at Selfridges, Liberty (in-store/online)
Dyptique 'Baies' candle, £45 from Farfetch, Selfridges and Liberty
Assouline 'In the spirit of the Hamptons' hardcover, from £22 at Amazon and Net-a-Porter (order by Sunday 21st for Monday delivery)
Stella McCartney Days of the Week underwear £130, from Net-a-Porter



Happy Holidays everyone!

COVETING: THE TIBI SKIRT

Coveting this week.. The Paint Splatter Skirt! Whilst we're being treated to the best of street-style at fashion week, it's hard not to start building a wish list of all the must-have pieces this season. Number one on my radar has to be the full, longer length, structured full skirts, and a certain find in particular that I think may be the one, from U.S brand Tibi.
Tibi are known for their contemporary-cool-girl collections with some of the best prints out there, - having already seen it on the awesome Aimee Song (Song of Style) at NYFW in the cream/black colour way, I began the hunt for this piece and found it came in this amazing red and black print too! I absolutely love the paint splatter effect, a perfect colour way and length for  the season - i'm hooked.

Skirt and Crop top by Tibi, Beige heels by Gianvito Rossi, Va Voom bag by Valentino, Camo flats by Pretty Ballerina, Embossed sweater by Topshop Boutique.

How to wear it? For evening I'd team it with a crop top due to the high waist-line, this one from Tibi is also made with the same silk fabric as the skirt and has the perfect neckline. For colder days swap the crop, or layer over it with this black embossed sweater from Topshop Boutique. Pair with neutral accessories for the evening, or clash print on print with these awesome Pretty Ballerina camouflage flats.

(Left to Right: Full Silk-Faille skirts available now from Tibi.com)

I've been searching for the perfect full skirt for quite a while, and Tibi without doubt come in at number one... If you can't wait for the paint splatter skirt (available from Tibi.com from the beginning of November 2013), you can order all of these now straight from their site!

You can follow all of Tibi's drool worthy pieces on Instagram @tibipr

MATCHPOINT

Some of my favourite pieces landing online for Fall Winter 2013, particularly those of the matching variety! This Chloé printed top and bottom number is a perfect example of pairing prints for the season, especially if you (like me) aren't one to clash colours and prints all at once. Swap the printed top for a simple colour block sweater for a more muted look.The Chloé Alice bag falls in at number one for my must-have accessory of the season; so practical and the off-white/black colour combination is timeless. - Match this look with the Saint Laurent Paris heels for night or Zara Ponyskin loafers (aka Céline? anyone?) for the day. Finally, rose-gold is still on my radar and definitely my first choice when it comes to jewellery. This to-die-for Repossi style earcuff  and V shaped ring is from Alex Mika Jewellery (a New York brand that you must check out!) Beautiful pieces made with created white sapphires. 
For bracelets, Monica Vinader never let's me down with dainty diamonds, or if you prefer more of a statement piece this Valentino studded cuff will complete any outfit day or night.

Chloé printed top and bottoms at Farfetch, Equipment Cashmere jumper at Net-a-Porter, Chloé Alice bag at Net-a-Porter, Saint Laurent Paris shoes at Selfridges, Zara Ponyskin Loafers, Ear Cuff and V Ring by Alex Mika Jewellery, Bracelet by Monica Vinader at Net-a-Porter, Valentino Studded Bracelet at Mytheresa.

IT'S NEVER TOO EARLY...

...to start planning your Fall/Winter wardrobe when it's still 31 degrees outside.

Thing's to start investing in for the new season:

1. The perfect oversized man coat. If you haven't already seen the September issue of Vogue UK with Miranda Kerr in the best selection of such attire out there, then get to your news agent ASAP and find out what i'm talking about. I'm not kidding, you will want every piece including these very basic old school are-they-really-back-in-fashion Birkenstocks that complete the outfits to a tea. 

2. Get some Birkenstocks. If the inspiration from Phoebe Philo wasn't enough last season you will find these are most certainly making a comeback (for real) for FW13.

3. Berlingot's! The latest from Céline's eponymous bag collection. Much larger in size than you think; on the runway they acted as the perfect alternative to the normal leather under-arm clutch. The checkered version is set to be the print you will need across your wardrobe for the coming season. 

4. Fine Jewellery; the delicate likes of Matchsticks and Monica Vinader are replacing the chunky neon statement pieces we have seen up until now; mix your silver, gold and rose gold in a selection of dainty jewellery. The Monica Vinader ring is 18ct Rose-gold plated with diamonds and is super affordable.

5. The perfect crew-neck cashmere sweater; I am always on the hunt to build my collection of these. This navy one from Whistles is exactly the type of layering piece you will need for a truly reasonable price; it will also be coming in Grey and Black late September too. 

Another great brand includes Equipment's Sloane Cashmere Sweater that comes in a multitude of colours, as well as THE OUTNET's own label Iris and Ink who similarly stock a variety of colours and at an extremely affordable price. Finally, J. Crew is always on my list to search for any type of cashmere sweater; if you're not a crew-neck fan these V-neck Boyfriend Cashmere Sweaters are incredibly soft and definitely worth the price tag.

6. The ripped jeans; season after season the distressed-denim trend has only grown, and now proves to be a wardrobe staple. These Zara distressed jeans are the best on the high street, although i still swear by my J Brand 811's (Colour; Salem Destructed), and Rag & Bone do a great selection of distressed skinny jeans too. If you're in London, check out Selfridges Denim Room and you really won't be short of choices.

7. Round-frames; swap your square-frames for round! A great selection at Asos, these are the Butterfly style from Céline.

8. Little white shorts; If one could wear shorts with the Margiela coat and cashmere jumper, that would be street-style perfection. I'm always baffled yet in awe of the array of street-style shots during Fashion Week that involve probably the most anti-weather outfits out there. Where are these women that they can wear such outfits without chancing a good dose of pneumonia, or simply over-heating? However they manage it, it means they are open to far cooler outfit choices like the shorts and coat combo.

ZODIAC!

Keep close to your horoscope with the latest novelty clutch by Charlotte Olympia! The Pandora style proved truly popular last season in the perspex styles, and these embellished Zodiac Pandora clutches are sure to be as covetable. In six colours/zodiac signs, new in on Net-a-Porter.com!

MAGNOLIA BEACH

The heat is on! Summer has finally arrived in London.. Although i'm seemingly distracted by all the AW13 new season pieces landing in-store and online that are naturally less suited to this tropical heatwave we're having. Here are some wardrobe essentials i've been eyeing up over the last couple of weeks; some heatwave appropriate and some definitely not, but certain to come in handy when the weather cools down. The most coveted shoe brand this week has to be Aquazarra; these nude lace up heels are perfect for day-to-night dressing and look great with boyfriend jeans and dresses. And, although Hedi Slimane's takeover at Saint Laurent stirred a number of discussions in the industry, I have to say the accessories are subtle, chic and timeless. The Lulu bag is my favourite and this version in White really keeps a simple outfit of jeans and tee's on trend. More on bags.. My Olympia-le-Tan wishlist continues to grow, and the 'Mystery of Magnolia Beach' clutch seemed too weather-appropriate to leave out. 

Final tip! Try my favourite body balm by Aesop, keeps you super hydrated and smells tropical!

Saint Laurent White Lulu Medium Bag (SSense.com) / Topshop Boutique Navy Ribbed Sweater

Aquazarra Nude Lace-up Heels (Mytheresa.com) / Topshop White Shirt Dress / Aesop Rind Concentrate Body Balm / Delfina Delterrez Bee and Pearl Earring (MatchesFashion.com) /

Asos Nude Round Sunglasses / Olympia Le Tan Clutch (Net-a-Porter.com) / Whistles Libby Boyfriend Jeans / Zara White Boat-Neck Shirt

NOVEL TEES

Let's talk about Novel Tee's, which should definitely be confused with all things novelty, (see what I did there?) because fashion is fun and we should make fun of it too. I'm sure you've all seen L.A based designer Brian Lichtenberg's novel tee's and sweatshirts, which come in the 'Homies' (a.k.a Hermès) logo amongst others (my favourite is Fèline..) but i'm definitely feeling these Conflict of Interest tee's which are also of the novel variety. Which do you like? I'm loving the Benzo (Mercedes-Benz turned tiger) tee! Very clever.

 Selection of 'Conflict of Interest' Unisex Tee's at Browns Fashion, £50

LEATHER OVERALLS

3.1 Phillip Lim Leather Overalls
(Image via Net-a-Porter)

As you may have already seen, dungarees a.k.a 'overalls' are slowly seeping back into high-street trends, mainly of the denim variety (1994, anyone?). But! For all of you runway-savvy lot you've probably already noticed this is a take on the like's of 3.1 Phillip Lim, whose leather overalls were seen on nearly every editor and blogger who could get their hands on them at fashion week (at £1200, they sold out within 48 hours on Netaporter and Shopbop!).
You may have also seen a month or so ago Whistles did their own take on the leather overalls at £375; still steep in price but again, they sold out pretty quickly.

The best alternative i've found? These Zara Leather Overalls pretty much tick all the boxes of the Phillip Lim ones (note the black hardware, cropped tailoring et all), and the lowest price i've found yet at £239. (If you don't want to invest in a real leather pair, you can get these NastyGal Faux leather overalls, which come in at just under £60!)

Zara Studio Leather Overalls

TRANSEASONAL PRINTS

Prints at the ready! Here are some great transeasonal pieces (in the form of floral prints!) to mix with all your wardrobe essentials. Every season Isabel Marant's embroidered trousers are a must-have piece, and these hawaiin-print floral jeans are perfect for this time of year; they'll look great with a basic crew sweatshirt for English spring weather (e.g, minus 8 and snow? who knows?) or boxy t-shirts when summer does arrive! The plain grey sweater is T by Alexander Wang, but if you prefer something with a motif on it, opt for this Topman 'New York City' sweater (trust me, it's super warm!).

This Acne fringe top is great for teaming with mid-length skirts (or the jeans aforementioned); Christopher Kane's beautiful princess skirt (no really, it's actually called the 'princess' skirt) and at that price it should make you feel very royal indeed! If you're looking for something that won't break the bank, the structured mid-length white skirt by Topshop Boutique would look great with any t-shirt/sweater essentials too. 

Alternatively if you're not a fan of skirts, these Alexander Wang floral graphic-print shorts from SS12 are perfect for teaming with any of the tops above! Or even swap the grey sweaters for coloured ones to make the shorts pop! They are the perfect length too, long enough for work but still with the transparent detailing to give it an edge. Still not convinced? They are 65% off at The Outnet! And it doesn't end there, the amazing cut-out black 'Danica' heels are also Wang, so highly coveted when they first came out and, again, 55% off at The Outnet! (Race you to the checkout.)

To accessorise pick a bold statement clutch, like this Pierre Hardy one, or for something more novel the Olympia Le Tan Caviar purse is just too fun! And yes, featuring another pair of Bekket sneakers because I dare you to find an outfit they don't go with, or maybe my obsession is now a problem and I need help? Finally mix all these pieces together and see how many outfits you can make from them! Now i've justified all these potential purchases for you, shop them here:

Acne Joshi Fringe Top / Topshop Boutique Full Midi White Skirt / Balenciaga SS13 Rings (get similar here!) / Olympia Le Tan Caviar Purse / Isabel Marant Godart Floral Embroidered Jeans / Alexander Wang Danica Shoes / Isabel Marant Bekket Sneakers / T by Alexander Wang Grey Sweater / Alexander Wang Floral Shorts  Christopher Kane Princess Skirt / Pierre Hardy Watersnake Clutch / Topman New York City Sweater

PJ SANDAL!

Let's talk about the sandal that'll be everywhere this summer (and where you can get something similar) thanks to the genius inspiration that is Phillip Lim. The gladiator sandal comes and goes every year, but the closed toe is what makes these just that bit cooler; the PJ sandal is available in black and two-tone. It's definitely a shoe must-have for this season (alongside the likes of Alexander wang's cut-out sandals) and I really hope the 'PJ' reference is to being able to actually wear them with your pyjamas, because I think this relates to half my wardrobe. But if you're not quite ready to justify spending money on sandals instead of.. er, rent! Do not fear! Zara have once again found the seven changes necessary to rip off these beauties. I hate to say it, but although the real 'PJ's are far more intricate in the detailing (and the overall quality is obviously so much better) the similarities make it too good to be true at just £40. 

Alternatively, if you're thinking 'what the hell, it's March in England and my feet are freezing thanks' then these Topshop Premium boots kind of give off the Phillip Lim vibe, without the cut-out-ness.

3.1 Phillip Lim 'PJ' Sandals, available here and here!

Zara Cut-Out Sandals; available here!

Topshop Premium 'Powerful' Boots. Sold out online; available in-store!

THE BOOT IS BACK

The Balenciaga Derby Ceinture Boot is back! For seasons now i've found it hard to ignore these chunky robocop-esque boots. I instinctively thought they were kind of ugly, yet two years later here I am wanting them on my feet. They've sold out on waiting lists and pre-orders nearly every season, and I can inform you all now that this will be the very last time they are produced too. Expected arrival time is May/June but you can pre-order them at Barney's NY now. 

A MATTER OF ESPADRILLES

Back again for the summer are espadrilles, a type of shoe that has long confused me due to a syndrome commonly known as 'Blinded By The Label'. As I entered the shoe department of Harrods not long ago, the vermillion red ponyskin Celine espadrilles immediately caught my attention; as I ran over to pick them up, and consequently began convincing my boyfriend (and myself) that I needed them in my life, he immediately responded 'nice.. but they really are only espadrilles, as in rope and rubber.'

His completely factual response brought me back to reality; It's extremely low-cost production material - Exhibit A: Primark Basic Canvas Espadrilles at approx. £5, proves to us truly how inexpensive it's wholesale value must be, vs. Exhibit B: Celine Ponyskin Espadrilles at approx £490, which makes my savings account and general conscience die inside. But people seem to love them regardless of the production cost vs. actual cost dilemma; Valentino's covetable style in lace seem to sell out consistently and are already in their second season of production, along with Chanel's logo stamped canvas style that have proven to be similarly as popular amongst bloggers (and i'm sure the Celine ponyskin style will be equally as popular as the weather improves).

Above are some of the most covetable espadrilles I have found so far for SS13, from Celine to Stella McCartney to Valentino. The best bank account friendly equivalent I have found thus far is the Zara Camouflage pair in the left column, also in ponyskin and under £40. What do you think? Are luxury espadrilles by a designer something you would invest in? Or are we really only blinded by the label in this instance?

Left Column: Chanel Navy Canvas Espadrilles (in store only), Celine Leopard Ponyskin Espadrilles (in store only), Valentino Black Lace Espadrilles, Zara Ponyskin Camouflage Espadrilles, Celine Vermillion Red Ponskin Espadrilles (in store only)

Right Column: Valentino Red Lace Espadrilles, Prism Leopard Canvas Espadrilles, Stella McCartney Neon Espadrilles, Christian Louboutin Striped Espadrilles, Prism Leather Espadrilles

LASER CUT

Amidst the excitement of watching all the AW13 shows online so far this last week (thank you, Style.com), I couldn't help but look back at my favourite SS13 shows (in the live breaks, of course) to see what had influenced my wish list picks for spring/summer. I remember being beyond overjoyed that Celine, Chloe and Isabel Marant had all provided us with muted, neutral colour themes that would make it easy to mix pieces from a winter wardrobe to a summer one. So here we go! More wish lists because making collages are fun and dissertations are not.. Beautiful simple dresses from Chloe mixed with the infamous Susanna boots (now with silver studs for this season for those of you who aren't so inclined to gold hardware). More statement bomber jackets from Marant following on from the covetable embroidered Western jacket of last season. I also couldn't resist the laser-cut pieces from Alaia, and do not fear! A huge range is available at The Outnet for all your purse-friendly-Alaia needs, making it all the more easier to justify, right? Also these laser cut leather shorts from Raoul are a perfect statement pair of shorts, I haven't seen anything else like them.

Other covetable pieces I couldn't resist include the great Olympia Le Tan's book clutch which has pretty much been snapped by every street style photographer and will continue to do so i'm sure! From novel clutches to novel jewellery I still cannot get over the awesomeness that is Delfina Delterez who has added a whole new meaning to the 'fine jewellery' category. In addition are these super thin stacking rings by Catbird NYC that are perfect for every day use, they also come as 'knuckle rings' that are trending in a big way! More on that in my next post though.

From Left to Right: Chloe Ruffle Sleeve Dress, Chloe Printed Silk Dress, Alaia Laser Cut Platforms, Olympia Le Tan Moby Dick Book Clutch, Vince Navy Silk Tee, Raoul Laser Cut Leather Shorts, Chloe Broderie White Skirt, Alaia Laser Cut Belt, Ear Cuff by Repossi, Stacking rings by Catbird NYC, Eye Double Ring by Delfina Delterez, Chloe Susanna Studded Boots, Black Cuff by Elin Kling x Marciano, Isabel Marant Glinkle Jacket, Chloe Camel Sport Pants.