Style Steal

Everyone likes to get a bargain and I'm no exception. Earlier today I was on a secret mission to buy some almost spanx like leggings from Primark. After a hot tip off on their amazing ability to flatten the tummy and create a clean shape I was happy to part with £4 to test them. These leggings are in the lingerie section and there is an array of tummy and thigh type underwear at bargain prices. I have to confess I'm impressed. After all control underwear is just underwear one can't be too sniffy about where it is from and in these hard times it is money well saved.

Equally I checked out the M&S shoe range and found some great little heels in the Autograph section which are very Park Lane Princess or Sloaney depending on which side of the Atlantic you prefer. I like them because there is a little bit of height and enough detail to make them look slightly more expensive than they really are. I always love a shoe that puts me in mind of Monica Vitti as Vittoria in Antonioni's L'Eclisse (1962)

Autograph Kitten heel t-bar sandal £39.50

There is a wide selection to choose from depending on your taste and lots of steals when it comes to style.

High Street Pick of the Week

With spring definitely in the air I had a bit of a floral feeling for this weeks selection. I haven't seen any flowers peeking through the ground but I'm hopeful it won't be long. Wear with skinny jeans of any colour and this week I've suggested an accessory too.

ZARA Floral print t-shirt £19.99

Stella & Dot Pyramid double wrap bracelet £45

LFW it is a Wrap at Reiss

Last night I was invited to the end of London Fashion week party at Reiss's flagship store. Whilst I quite happily miss a show I'm too much of a party girl to miss a party. Even though my party days are really quite behind me! It was a perfect party plenty of booze if you wanted it, some good sounds and a crowd. I like it when stores open for fun.

 Stylist Isobel Kershaw with her new Michael Kors bag purchased in NYC, she loves it! I accessoriesed her with the Stella & Dot Leona Pendant necklace

 Moi with my fav Stella & Dot pieces the Valentina earrings and the Waverly 3 way bag, the limited edition Black Chantilly Lace cuff and my little bit of Kate Moss the £40 Belle Fleur ring

 Gorgeous new shoes in a coral which isn't shown to full effect in this photo - sorry!

 The obligatory self portrait shot with Isobel included and you can see the Belle Fleur ring in this one

Beautiful blouse, it is actually a darker blue in real life but my flash has lightened it.

How I loved this jumper (want!)

The lovely shop assistant Rochelle working hard clearing drinks and looking stunning in new season Reiss clobber.

Not yet in store but I also loved this Reiss print top

Boden Allowance

Last Friday I drove miles and miles from London to Aberystwyth. It was a long overdue visit to a place I used to live. It really was the Wild West of Wales with driving rain and mist once I'd got past Swansea -I had to do a detour to drop the petit garcon off in Bridgend, short story his grandparents were there for weekend. My arrival in Aberystwyth was wet not the bathed in sunshine and glory I had hoped for!

Still a good time was had by all mainly at the newest and possible the best ever addition to the town ultracomida Seriously it is the best place I have ever been to in the UK.

Best olives ever!

 

What was to become our midnight feast

That night after meeting with friends and hosting a Stella & Dot trunk show which was great fun I stayed with my friend Rachel at her gorgeous house in Borth.

My view at 7am from the bedroom - there were two guys out in it surfing!

We had a late supper and of course started on the wine! Earlier in the evening I said I liked the stripy tunic that Rachel was wearing.This was met with hoots of laughter by one and all as it was from Boden! My universal fear of Boden is well known.

To cut to the point Rachel took me on a tour of the Boden catalogue and refilled my wine glass and that was how we found ourselves at midnight discussing and choosing items from Boden and listening to Smooth radio, where once we would have been talking boys and listening to Massive Attack!

I now have a Boden wishlist. I'm going to attest that all the items are stylish and trendy and can be clarified as useful for my yummy mummy life - oh heck Johnnie I''m yours!

Still I learnt something far more important than my fashion whims...Friends and Food are the best things in life xx

Maxi, midi, mini

Take one concept and show it at three different price points - that is the point of maxi, midi and mini. This post is all about the bag. The bag style in question is a shoulder or cross body bag of a small size as I don't want you straining shoulders and back now! I've also gone for a neutral shade to work with everything as I learnt the other day from Mrs H in Borth some of us are scared of the colour orange. Conscious I'm not in the business of scaring people there is nothing like a bit of beige/camel/tan (ish) to work wonders for your wardrobe and not shout SCARY. I've also gone for bags that offer versatility, ones that can be across the body, over the shoulder and change into hand or clutch bag.

Stella & Dot lambskin Waverly 3 way fold over clutch or crossbody bag £220

Ted Baker Luel Knotted handle xbody bag £159

House of Fraser Linea Molly crossbody bag was £69.00 now £55.20

Dressing it up - Valentine's

 I know some folks think it is commercial tosh but there is something endearing about expressing love in all forms even on just one day. We embrace Valentine's in our house with gusto. Why the petit garcon sent 3 cards. Two in the post and one I delivered by hand. There must be something in the act of generosity as he did receive one card and it brought him so much joy.

Given the financial constraints many of us are adjusting to and experiencing I'm sure we were not alone in staying in. But that was no reason not to dress up and create an intimate setting. It was typical fayre as Mr MDS was cooking steak, bearnaise sauce, a posh lettuce and chunky chips. Desert was ice cream and raspberries. No flower, chocolates or pink fizz but we had a nice bottle of red. I was treated to my earrings which was very nice of him an much appreciated.

 H&M conscious collection dress, M&S tights, shoes from a shop in Copenhagen in 2003, earrings Valentina from Stella&Dot

 

 Self portrait of the earrings!

 The table was dressed up in a bistro style but I added our Tiffany candlesticks to give a touch of class for the dinner for two...ahem except halfway through a little gooseberry appeared. And of course as we love him so much we were soft and let him stay and gave him a bowl of ice cream. Spreading the love.

confused.com

No sooner as the last snow flake falls and the biting cold is replaced with fog and milder weather instead of donning our S/S12 gear we are already onto A/W12/13! Of course transatlantic this is Fall and I feel like falling in a never ending wave of fashion confusion.

Well if you want some clarity in your life then NYFW has produced a few pointers non more so than orange. The summation of colour from New York has to be black, grey, a greyish blue, magenta pink in dark and lighter hues and orange. Orange orange and tomato red the nearest red to orange.

 Marc Jacobs

 DVF

 Victoria Beckham

 Caroline Herrera

 3.1 Phillip Lim

High Street Pick of the Week

Unimaginable is probably at the foremost point of your brain if I was to say S/S12. Having been rocked by a cold spell that seems never ending (it will warm up, promise!) attempting to enthuse you with the array of colours, texture and pattern for the coming months feels like a fools errand. But press on I will with what you can get now for the future.

When I ran my style clinic to help raise funds for petit garcon's primary school pamper evening the other night as the snow fell outside I found myself dissin' yellow. It was in the context of telling the school mums to embrace colour and enjoy the veritable feasts of colour, texture and print hitting the high street stores. And then I go and spoil it all by saying 'maybe not to start with yellow'.

I love yellow and love wearing yellow but over the years I've learned to respect its power. It can illuminate or diminish how you feel in an instant when you put it on.On the one hand it is the colour of happiness and on the other the colour of madness. Tricky.

But these ochre suede strap sandals from Mint Velvet  at £99 bridge the gap between laughter and fear in a splendid sunny fashion.

If only...

..today I was doing a photo shoot. Although I can imagine if the plan was to do an outside shoot for a late spring campaign it would be frustrating. It is the fact there is such a magical element to early morning light combined with iced trees and snow underfoot. It is perfect snow enough to make everything pretty but not enough to prevent you doing anything.

Why if I were Johnny Boden I'd be calling up my girls and getting then in next season A/W kit and capture them frolicking in the snow....