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

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!

ADD TO BASKET

The most enjoyable way to avoid doing any kind of work.

Procrastination at its best.

Saturday morning, adding all my favourite pieces from this season into my imaginary online basket because the prospect of being able to do so is so much more fun than actually going into stores and realising you can't afford anything that was in your imaginary online basket  (cough, Givenchy pony skin wedges bottom left, cough). Shopping online has never been more appealing, with thousands of sites offering us the easy access to luxury brands, without the awkwardness of being in store and having a sales assistant breathe down your neck, whilst you think of a million excuses why you don't want the item (when you really, really do). Thank god for the endless list of online stores which allows us as much time as we want to make a decision and never judges us for returning something. The relationship is good.

Things I added to my basket today (in an attempt to avoid doing any work possible, of course) included these Topshop boyfriend fit jeans, a real priority for me seeing as I put on my favourite skinny jeans yesterday and managed to rip them having hoiked them up by the belt loops (either it's been five years and they've had their time, or I need to stop eating at the Soho Breakfast Club and MEATLiqour, more on that later.) Back to the jeans, these Isabel Marant western jeans have been hovering in my Matches basket for some time now but have sadly not yet made it to the checkout. They are great though, and would be dreamy with this grey alpaca wool sweater from Cos. More dreamy sweaters include this Opening Ceremony red and white honeycomb one, which i've justified go with nearly all my 'bottoms' in my wardrobe, and this Burberry Prorsum Owl Tee which will go under all these dreamy sweaters.

Retro sneakers are making a huge comeback; having seen too many people in Nike Blazer's i've now got my eye on these New Balance 966 burgundy sneakers. The Golden Goose ones are a great alternative to Converse, (i love the metallic elements on them) but are quadruple the price tag.
Also love this Topshop Boutique orange/navy jacquard dress, looks a lot like this Opening Ceremony one but for a whole lot less! The same Topshop style also comes in joggers and a pencil skirt.

As for the accessories, I'm after this navy/green tartan/square style one from Cos, to wear with absolutely everything. Same goes for this Aamaya by Priyanka necklace, Isabel Marant cuffs, and Delfina Delletrez ring which is the most interesting design i've seen yet; she also does earrings exactly like this, not to be confused with a ring. See here.

THE ATTACHMENT

I can't seem to remove them from my feet. Help. 

Back in my wardrobe! Here's what I chose today, my favourite roll sleeve tee from Topshop (a really great thicker style jersey essential) and khaki jeans (which ironically my best friend was also wearing today when I went to pick her up!). The Isabel Marant shoes are firmly glued to my feet now, (I may even sleep in them?); a girl's attachment with shoes sometimes takes over all practical choices and thinking; including wearing something that will make your feet blue within five minutes of being outside in the cold, but it's still worth it. Enjoy your Sunday evening everyone, i'm ready for pyjamas, tea, and Xfactor catch up (all in heels, of course.)

I was wearing:

Topshop Grey Roll Sleeve Tee, Topshop Khaki Leigh Jeans, 

Isabel Marant Kylie Pumps, Proenza Shouler Yellow Pouch

Aamaya by Priyanka Nazaar Star Bracelet, Bear Ear Ring from Bangkok, 

Red and white bracelets both Orelia

THE EVERYDAY EDIT

A selection of things from this season to inspire the everyday outfit!
(British weather/commuting appropriate, not so much.)

Most mornings I wake up extremely confused as to what to wear. I'm not (or very rarely) one of those people who can throw something together  last minute, which does indeed make me an outfit planner. This however puts me in a rather fickle situation each morning when it is around 0 degrees, raining, and grey skies when I wake up, which could easily turn in to 18 degrees sun, thunderstorms, or snow by mid-day. A slight exaggeration, but that is generally the joy of British weather, it will inevitably mess up any hopes you have of putting together the perfect everyday outfit because it will probably be the wrong  one by lunch time. 

With this in mind, I am just going to assume the weather will be perfectly consistent and put together a list of great everyday pieces for this season! 

This JW Anderson X Topshop White Oxford shirt is perfect with printed trousers or jeans, to be worn under the JW Anderson X Topshop Trench Coat; shoe options include the Isabel Marant Suede Boots or the Gianvito Rossi Nude Shoes. The trench and boots would look great with a casual shirt like this checkered one by MiH Jeans. The Kenzo T-shirt has some great colours which would team really well with metallic shoes, like these silver Margiela trainers, and (if you're not in the UK and can still wear shorts at this time of year, or you're just really brave...) these Topshop Boutique silk shorts would look great instead of jeans for a casual look. To top it off, the Givenchy Rottweiler iPad case is by far the coolest tech accessory i've seen, and is the perfect everyday statement piece to use with any of the pieces above.

You can shop the whole look! Just click the links.

SEPTEMBER ESSENTIALS

More reasons I love September.. transeasonal dressing! It is a fickle thing, fashion vs. english weather. I spend most of my time in the summer months wondering what on earth is appropriate to wear in the blazing heat when it will (most definitely) be pouring with torrential rain and thunderstorms in the afternoon, with the temperature dropping at least by 10 degrees after that. It also doesn't help that I love layering and my wardrobe consists mainly of knitwear! I can only hope over the next few weeks it'll be clear skies, with a cool temperature and no rain (yes I am completely delusional, but it'll help me in justifying more transeasonal purchases..)

What to start looking out for the Autumn/Winter? 1. The perfect coat. The most important piece in making an outfit. Yes I shouldn't be wishing away the nice sunny weather but I am also far too eager to purchase new coats with so many great styles in store already for AW12. This wool coat from the Topshop 'Premium' range is just what I have been looking for; it has that oversized, voluminous structure but in a more contemporary cocoon style that you can chuck over anything and it'll make the outfit. 

2. The printed L/S tee: A lightweight, long sleeve tee like these ones from Proenza Schouler's AW12 collection are perfect to wear under a coat or jacket without having to layer on the knitwear just yet. I am a sucker for anything Breton and the rust coloured 'mountain' style print is the perfect statement jersey!

3. The perfect white tee: An obvious choice, but you really can't go wrong. I love this geo oversized piece from Topshop Boutique, it may only be a white T-shirt but the structure of it makes all the difference.

4. The suede sneakers: Can you tell I might just be a little bit obsessed with Isabel Marant's sneakers? Ever since I got my hands on my first pair of Willow's at the beginning of this year the addiction  has simply got worse. They are so comfortable and really do go with everything that I couldn't find a better alternative. Whether you choose Bekett's or Bobby's or Boston's you won't regret it! They're gold dust at the moment with there having been so many waiting lists for them, so contact me if you are trying to locate a pair and i'll do my best to help!

5. The Black Bag: Show me a bag in 10 colours and I will almost definitely choose it in Black. I love this new Mulberry Maisie bag; I was never really sold on the Bayswater's (and even more so the Del Rey's), but when I saw this unusual beauty previewed at Dover Street Market, I loved the imprinted buckles and the mix of suede and leather. A much more contemporary twist on the usual leather Mulberry's! 

Where to get it? From Left to Right:

Topshop Premium Domed Sleeve Coat, Proenza Schouler Printed Jersey, Mulberry Maisie Bag, Isabel Marant Bobby Sneakers, Topshop Boutique Geo White Tee, Proenza Schouler Striped Henley Jersey.

SEQUIN MAZE

 

Left: 3.1 Phillip Lim Maze Sequin Tshirt £390 (here) 

Right: Topshop Crystal Maze Tshirt  £45 (here)

I was having a little flick through Liberty Online today (who, by the way, are having 15% off until Sunday) and came across this sequin 3.1 Phillip Lim number, and thought hold on! I've seen this somewhere... Lucky for you 3.1 fans you can get the look for less from Topshop (of course!)

If you have any designer pieces you've seen but don't want to fork out the thousands for it, email me at l-bd@live.co.uk or ask me on twitter @ericaewright and I'll do my best to find you the next best thing!

STRIPES & KHAKI

Super relaxed day, I chose an easy outfit of stripes and jeans. I have a new found love for green! Especially khaki, which is a great autumnal colour to add to my very monochromatic wardrobe. Using my new beauty; Proenza Schouler PS1 which I chose in grey after huge deliberation (It was a miracle I didn't pick black) but with so many compartments and zips it is the perfect every day bag. And so, after a lovely dinner and catch up with my good friend Ellen (you can follow her blog here) I must return to the tv for more olympic fun. Night everyone!

I was wearing: Whistles Stripe Top, Topshop Khaki Leigh Jeans, Celine Sunglasses, 

Proenza Schouler PS1 Bag, Converse Sneakers

OLYMPIC GEAR

The London Olympics have finally begun! It's actually so exciting; the city is really buzzing from it and it's great to see all the support for Team GB playing in their home country. I managed to get a glimpse of the women's cycling in Knightsbridge yesterday (it really was a glimpse.. you don't realise how fast they're actually going!!) And despite the rain people still came to cheer them on, umbrellas-et-all, love it! Here are some of my favourite pieces right now, all of course inspired by the current events! Which is your favourite look? You can shop them all below!

First Row: Isabel Marant Beckett Sneakers in Anthracite, Topman Jamaica Sweatshirt, Proenza Schouler PS1 Bag, Current Elliott Star Jeans.

Second Row: Ashish Games T-shirt, Proenza Schouler PS11 Bag, Topshop Leigh Jeans in Grey-Blue, Converse Leather Chucks.

Third Row: Ashish Flag Sweatshirt, Topshop Leigh Jeans in Dark Grey, Isabel Marant Betty Sneakers, 3.1 Phillip Lim Tote.

PACKING WISHLIST

Proenza Schouler Printed Tee 

Proenza Schouler PS11 Classic Bag

Topshop Boutique Black Silk Shorts

Topshop Wedges

It's that time of year; deadlines are finally over, and i'm about to start packing for a lovely long vacation with the boy. For now, here's what I wish I was packing! These Proenza beauties are way up on my wish list, and the Topshop wedges are the perfect addition with the black/orange contrast.


P.S- Thank you all so much for the support on my ELLE Fashion Editor entry; you can still vote here if you haven't done so already. Thanks again everyone!! x

WARDROBE WISHES

What i'd love to be wearing right now, this minute, in the office. Can't get over these beaut Reo sandals in nude! They are sitting in my Net-a-Porter wish list bag, along with this Rag & Bone sweater. Don't get me started on the Proenza bag...


Sweater by Rag and Bone

http://www.netaporter.com/

Bag by Proenza Schouler 
http://www.netaporter.com/
Reo Sandals by Isabel Marant

http://www.netaporter.com/
Black Leigh Jeans by Topshop

http://www.topshop.com/

IN RED

Quick outfit post before dinner tonight. I bought these red Leigh jeans from Topshop; they really are the best skinny jeans I have found. I have them in nearly every colour now just because the fit is so good, and best of all they are super comfy. First time wearing my new Zara sandals too, the shape is so simple that they pretty much go with anything! I had seen a similar pair in the Maje lookbook last summer and had been looking for something like them ever since.

Hope you're all having a good week and not letting this miserable weather get to you!

RED LEIGH JEANS BY TOPSHOP

BLACK SANDALS BY ZARA

NAVY KNIT BY COS

BAG BY CHANEL

pyjamas! céline style...

Apologies for the severe lack of posts; having had the flu take over me in the worst of ways for the 6 days i've somehow morphed into my bed and haven't been able to get out as of yet. As such, i thought it only fitting (and humorous if anything) to take note of Celine's trending pj look from the ss12 resort collection. You've probably all seen the floral co-ord blazers and trousers (and shirts!) by zara, topshop and asos inspired by this collection, and it was only a matter of time before the pj pinstripes hit the high-street too. Do you love it or hate it?  If you're not crazy on going co-ord, team the shirt with some basic jeans as shown by ASOS below.

See my PJ looks below!

TOPSHOP STRIPED SHIRT £28

ASOS SCALLOP DETAIL STRIPED SHIRT £30

COS CO-ORD PYJAMA SET
SHIRT £35 BOTTOMS £25

EQUIPMENT TWO POCKET STRIPED SHIRT £275

isabel marant sneakers

I've been looking for some sneakers for ages, so when Isabel Marant's 'Bekket' sneaker came out last year i had my eye on them all the way through to the new 'Willow' version for ss12, which i finally caved for and bought last week. It comes in a number of colour-ways, but i stuck to my instincts and went for the all beige ones as i thought they'd go with more. My favourite part about these shoes is the 3 inch hidden wedge, its such a practical shoe and yet still gives me some height, hurrah! They're a great day shoe that will take you from autumn right through to the summer; as shown in the Matches Lookbook they even look cool with shorts and skirts, (although as its 2 degrees outside i will be firmly sticking to skinny jeans for now!)

I also need to say a big thanks to Mandi at findmeamuse blog who helped me locate a pair of these in my size (as they were sold out within hours!) check out her blog for more Isabel Marant pieces i can only dream of owning!

Have a good day everyone!

 WHAT I WORE:

WILLOW SNEAKERS BY ISABEL MARANT

TOPSHOP LEIGH SKINNY JEANS

TOPSHOP RIBBED CREAM KNIT

ZARA COAT

CELINE BOSTON TOTE