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

Prada - I died!

Funny how the last Prada show felt a bit of a let down. Now the dust has settled, I can appreciate it for its influence I knew it would provide is for all to see on the high street.
This spring summer Prada collection will not be one I coveted but there are some nice touches to admire especially the shoes.

The recent A/W 11 collection was a different matter. Pure spectacle and pure admiration for the design of the collection, the styling, the setting and the show. It was slightly annoying it was so late for those sat there I'm sure but it was well worth waiting for. Miuccia reworked her favourite aesthetics the sock became part of the shoe to make a boot, the early sixties was reworked with new materials and colour ways but with some nod to her idol Yves Saint Laurent.

Equally the femininity was coltish, a liberating view of womanhood with out the need for overt sexualisation. I didn't like the use of snakeskin as print as I loathe snakes but you can't have everything! It felt light and refreshing even with the inclusion of a beautiful red dress. Ah, all is well with my world again when Miuccia is on top form!

my favourite

Sublime & beautiful

If only I had the funds!!

Saturday night

Last Saturday we had to decamp to Bristol for a friends 40th birthday. Since I've been asked for more 'what I'm wearing' photos in my blog, here is what I wore to a bash in Ham Green Cricket club. It is another mirror in another bedroom and it was really hard to take a photo of my Topshop jumpsuit. It is asymmetrical, so I've taken the side with the sleeve which is ruffled. I added a tan skinny leather belt from Isabella Oliver and my Zara sale shoes. I've not done the best pose possible but I had had 2 glasses of wine prior to going, small ones I hasten to add. Due to our sitting and chatting I had 20 minutes to get ready to do hair, make up and get dressed.



I love a black and white print. It is my favourite combination and it no surprise that I feel utterly in love with this dress from Giles from his recent ready to wear A/W11 collection show. The addition of blush as an understated third element is 'genius' as they say.

image:style.com

Do you have your invite to intimate fashion elitism?

Two years ago I wrote an essay about Sofia Coppola. In my research I found her swapping whose attention she had at a young age according to who was in fashion and what she was promoting. Once she mentioned Yves San Laurant another time it was a significant film person and without re-reading my essay I can't recall who it was.

I got the sense that Sofia and Marc Jacob were driven by mentionitis and discovering and admiring obscure music/artists/anything. Always the referencing to something/someone was key.

Then I read an article in the New York Times which hints at a new way of exuding exclusivity and an elitist view. This time the reference has a retrospective feel of recreating the past in all its elitist best. The masses can enjoy a youtube video afterwards. If Tom Ford is setting a new benchmark then expect a more selective viewing panel at more shows in the future.



Whilst I actually feel for fashion editors and buyers who on occasion have been sidelined by fashion bloggers and the advent of more front row celebs - I suspect that the mass marketing of designers and luxury goods has created a need to raise the bar and they have had a hand in that with unquestioning fashion editorial.

Does this bar mean that more deep breaths will be required for those not invited to certain shows? Will the public have rich heiresses or rich anyone shoved down our throats as attendees?

All that I do know is that the changes are coming and these are about redefining fashion and taste.

As Sister Wolf perceptively tweeted 'What good is fashion if EVERYONE can have it.'

At last something to love

A year IS a long time in fashion. Who can forget the debacle that was the Lindsay Lohan for Emmanuel Ungaro. Well within the year they've done the sensible thing and hired a proper designer. Giles Deacon at the helm has delivered a feast of texture, fabric and a modern 30s vibe that has me smiling. Feathers, silk, plaits and a stripy top. The lovely Fashion's Most Wanted has the first pics and go feast your eyes on them not least for Anna Della Russo modelling!


Equally at Celine there is much to praise due to the continuum of the aesthetics Phoebe Philo has brought to the house. She hasn't veered much off script - enough to add detail and dimension but enough of the same to build the best of stylish wardrobes. Clever Celine in these times. But thank goodness for frivolity too, bless you Giles I'll be packing my bicycle basket with lashings of ginger beer, wrapping a feather boa around my neck and kicking up a heel or two come summer. Now all I have to do is grow my hair super quick!

Celine S/S 11 image:style.com

Oh holy mess now JPG does it to me!

I'm lost for words. I can't talk about it. I love JPG and his collections, his work for Hermes and his film costumes. I share his love of stripes and Spanish influence in costume/style.

Now I'm crying again over the hot mess that was his show. I don't care about the size issue nor the notion that the collection gets distilled down from the performance. I just plain disliked it.






I will never feel the love for Doc Martens or look a likes and quasi layering is wrong for a show/collection, it seems pretend work.

Prada - I cried!

Never before have I wept tears of disappointment when it comes to a fashion show. Now I have. Every year since well as far back as I can remember I've looked forward to a Prada show. There's been some highs and some lows but on the whole when Muiccia talks I'm usually listening.

I know the show is a spectacle and well yes being bold is interesting but oh please what was that. It is so not great even Style.com haven't listed it in their previously in Milan category. It is hidden in the All Shows bit. Prada is usually top 5 billing.

It wasn't just the clothes, but the shoes and the bags. I felt cheated. I will wait to see the show to store translation but so far I'm out.

I've picked three item I would wear and of which the first two I could knock up in a jiffy!

images: style.com

I might be being harsh or 'not getting it' but I have relied on Muiccia for her eye for print and detail and this sort of makes me feel a bit cheated. I will digest with the help of Andrews Liver Salts...

Celebrity attendees at Elizabeth Emanuel

I love a celeb spot. And Elizabeth Emanuel didn't disappoint. It was pure C to Z list heaven, my favourite combination. A listers are obviously Hollywood stars with designers, models and major music peeps being B list. Is grading celebs wrong? Do you do it too!

Sinitta with her bloke, who was very protective. Sinitta wore Elizabeth Emanuel recently to the television awards and is a big fan of her work. She loved the array of dresses and expect to see her in one soon. Sinitta was very appreciative of Sonique's wonderful performance of Moon River

Karen Millen (yes the real one) talking to Nancy Dell'Olio (she was with her new man who is better looking than Sven!)

Colin Jackson (what is with my athletics theme to LFW, note to self get to gym maybe!) wearing a wonderful midnight blue velvet jacket

The gorgeous and wonderful Sonique. Her singing was fab and she was a great addition to the show

The art of booty

Princess Diana in the 1981 Elizabeth Emanuel Black Taffeta dress causing a fashion stir by wearing black on her first official engagement with Prince Charles when she was still Lady Diana Spencer

I've never been a show girl in any sense of the word, boudoir, courtesan, stage or fashion shows. I put my hands up and say I gave my tickets away. However I did attend the Triumph awards at the start of LFW, I love underwear and it was a great night out. And I made a big effort to go to The Art of Being, Elizabeth Emanuel's comeback fashion show last night. It is 10 years since she last staged a catwalk show and I couldn't resist for a number of reasons, which were a random collection, Princess Diana , Little Black Dresses and Rebekah Roy of Stylist Stuff. Plus when I hesitated about nipping out doors of an eve Mr MDS pointed out I would be a golf widow next week as he is decamping to Wales for the Ryder Cup.

Well I was out of that door. So quick I committed the cardinal sin of being early! How unfashionable is that. I was 10 minutes early for the 7pm reception and canapés, which meant the doors wouldn't open for another 15 to 20 minutes, since when has anything been on time or early. As I'd arrived via tube and my own feet I sauntered off and decamped to a nice building where I stood on the steps and hidden by pillars to attempt to tweet. Guess what I don't know my twitter password. That is what happens when you computer takes over your life and remembers everything for you.

The moral of the story, don't be early and even when one stands in splendid buildings in Belgravia you new BF might be someone who picks up cigarette ends and has the paramedics trying to help. It was very sad as she must have wandered off from a hospital as her hand had a drip thing in it and she was so thin. Even though I'd made the effort to dress up I was being ignored and upstaged by an aviator-esque jacket so I did the British thing and joined the now forming queue for the show.

I will of course post proper images of the lovely dresses from the show. However, my wonderful original Anya Hindmarch clutch is super slim and only had enough room for blackberry, oystercard and invite plus my Tiffany little blue book. I met the lovely Kimberly Lyn from Toronto completely by chance. How happy was I to be able to talk Toronto and Mississauga and ice hockey! We were the only bloggers there (I think) but neither of us had been invited as bloggers.

We both enjoyed the dresses which were wonderfully constructed and looked a million dollars. I love well constructed clothes because regardless of how they are presented they will look good (in fact Fashion's Most Wanted has wonderful pics of the Giles show - another great example of excellent cut and consturction).

The feast of black dress after black dress was a delight. I could never tire of black dresses and Elizabeth had taken inspiration from Breakfast in Tiffany's which isn't original but she had captured the idea of decadence and modernity of the LBD for today. Not only that but Sonique was singing the catwalk music and came out and did a performance of Moon River. It was amazing.

Rebekah Roy (right) with her assistant after the show. Rebekah did a wonderful job of the styling

The team behind the hair, makeup and last minute seamstressing!

The after show party drinks which I stepped away from as I'd had 2 glasses of champagne.

I slipped off into the night with my really nice goody bag with 2 additional items. One was a t-shirt from the show kindly given to me by Elizabeth Emanuel's partner ( I was too polite to ask whether business or romantic) and the other I'm ashamed to say fell into my goody bag, no it did really I have two witnesses as I dropped it in shock. I photographed my LFW haul when I got home. In these hard times there is no point at sniffing at what you get!

Very nice and amazingly comfy pants from Triumph, I'm a convert. The material is fabulous and the fit a dream. I got these last Thursday.

Ahem. This was in the washroom in Belgravia at Il Bottaccio the venue for Elizabeth Emanuel. I was one of 3 people who expressed amazement and amusement. To quote by a.n other person 'why even in Shoreditch we have Molton Brown'

How nice to find Liz Earle in your bag. Elizabeth Emanuel went all out with natural and sustainable products

Candle, body scrub and body moisturiser

The t-shirt, very kindly given to me -made of sustainable bamboo viscose and organic cotton - feels lovely

Next week it will all be back to normal once I've caught up on myself.

A Triumphal affair

Lets face it my blogging is all to pot. I'm still on last week. I'm not sure this styling work is conducive with my blogging. Not only am I off routine (apologise no Maxi, Midi, Mini today as no research been possible), I'm becoming unsociable due to exhaustion (sorry Sharon Rose, working and doing school runs/stuff is making me a lover of sleep).

Thankfully my all work and all mummy duties were interrupted by the Triumph Inspiration Awards 2010. Billed as kicking off London Fashion Week, the challenge around the globe for designers was based on the brief Shape Sensations. Judging the event were Matthew Williamson, Rankin and Helena Christensen. Karen Mok, Hillary Riva (British Fashion Council Development Committee) and Suzanne McKenna (Triumph Head of Global Brand Management).

I was pleased to bump into Nicky Hambleton-Jones, who is a friend and a great person to work with. Designers Felder and Felder were as lovely as ever but I feel dreadful I didn't take a photo of their mum who is uber lovely and very glam. She was also wearing a shearling flight jacket and looked very cool. Linford Christie became my NBF - he was charming, funny and had a powerful shove when trying to get your attention. He and Alexandra Burke made me take photos of them together on each of their blackberry phones. I then attempted to take yet another rubbish photo on my camera. Yes the lighting in the Old Sorting Office was very dark but seriously I need a new phone (on its way, I'm on an iphone 4 wait list) and a decent camera (hello anyone out there?!)

Enough of my 5 minutes of fun and down to the show. It was a mixed bag of fab designs, slightly blah and some bonkers numbers. But that is the great thing about design, it is subjective and there is something for everyone. My favourite, a sparkly number by a Norwegian designer didn't win - the designer Annette Bowman decided to use bits of vinyl and tape to create her shape sensation number. The second placed Spanish designer Amaya Carcamo created a wonderful body using wood, it was polished to perfection. The Triumph Inspiration Award site has lots of lovely images and videos of the evening. I'm actually on one of them thanks to my front row status! Mr MDS laughed at my faux fur caplet saying I was the only person with a shawl on. Nothing like your bloke to ruin your only moment.

Busy back stage preparing the show

Nicky Hambleton-Jones, Linford Christie and his friend who's name I've forgotten but she was super nice and fun

Nicky and a bit of Felder & Felder

The item I wanted - I thought it would be a perfect look for the beach

The board

You see my camera and photography skills need help!