High St Pick of the Week

What with writing the new novel and Girlynomics being published last week I anticipated blog neglect. So far I have failed to get Twisted Skirt up and running properly but nearly there! I fully intend to keep posting on Make Do Style until I've managed to get everything in order.

The High St Pick of the Week has been much neglected but as the new season items come in store now really is the time to give some recommendations.

Despite the cold and forecasted snow for the UK this week, yes it might snow again, I'm all about summer items. And there are some wonderful pieces coming online and into stores. Today sees the launch of the Baukjen S/S13 collection and one dress stands out as RIGHT NOW for me.

Salma Zip Dress £139 from Baukjen

Let's go large

Spring is here. No longer does one have to think can I pack my deepest darkest winter clothes away.

This wonderful burst of sunshine puts me in the mood to dance, skip and well frankly not blog! It is almost as if one needs to savour every moment of this sunshine. Our bodies are craving the natural vitamin D.

Kick off your boots and put on the biggest hat you can find in celebration that the sun is out.

Marc Jacobs

Alberta Ferretti

Caroline Herrera

In the yellow

Sometimes you never know when a look is going to bite you on the backside and take you with it. The fashion look I have loved the most is the MaxMara all over yellow. In fact I have been overly impressed with the MaxMara collection, it seems to strike the right balance of drawing on the old, 1930s sportswear and injecting the new, this new fangled colour blocking.

If I had the figure for it I would wear these looks without a thought..oh yes and the bank balance might come in handy too, forgot that minor detail.

images: Style.com

Which colour are you going to major on for Spring Summer 2011?

And I would really want to wear yellow with dusky pink or pale pink shoes. My new obsession is pale pink shoes!

Bring on the colour

Yippee January is behind us, not long now until the daffodils come out to let us know Spring is on the way.

It seems Lanvin are friends of daffodils too with these eye popping (and price popping!) numbers.

Lanvin silk halterneck top £620 Matches

Lanvin gathered drape dress £1200 from Matches

Big stripes

I'm trying to ignore the slowly brewing Prada fashion fix of big stripes. I love Prada and whilst the catwalk collection was not to my taste I can see how the effect is trickling down and the execution from catwalk to shop floor looks different when you can put your own spin on it.

Love it or hate it (I did at first but am now leaning more to the accepting!) big stripes are going to get ya! I like the pink and orange number below once you minus the hair, make up and freaky accessory thing.


What do you think and are you going to pair your big striped number with a sombrero!

My holiday capsule wardobe courtesy of Raf

Thanks to Raf Simons and his S/S11 designs for Jil Sander I only need to pack two outfits for my carry on along with sunnies, plus swimsuit - one for day and one for night, both perfect and splendid for St Barts (if I was really going there of course!)

Escapology

When the snow has fallen and the idea of stepping outside fills you with dread instead of that bracing bravery then what is a girl to do other than pick Spring Summer 11 items. Suddenly my grey world is about to ping with yellow, orange, bright green and azure blue - yippee (if only it were so...)

Miu Miu polka dot silk crepe de Chine scarf £150

In case you feel tempted by those Prada banana earrings at £300...I'm coming to your rescue. Voice of reason £300 on banana earrings is not a good idea. It is ..well...quite frankly...bananas!
Choose Miu Miu instead with these Swarovski crystal heart earrings at £100 if you must flaunt your designer mast on your ears.


Bag this bit of sunshine now!

Marc by Marc Jacobs Cosmo quilted shoulder bag £260

But don't wear any of the above with this perfect orange dress! It will keep you cheery from now until April.

Michael Kors Boucle wool-blend shift dress £910

And keep your fingers crossed these blue babies are in the sale or hot foot it over to the Outnet.
Ah feel better about the grey skies and white snow I'm surrounded by already.

Miu Miu Suede bow ballerina flats £215

Sharing Spring/Summer wear

A perfectly pleasant evening was spent in Kentish Town last night as I went to view the Isabella Oliver 365 S/S collection. I had a meandering day of introspection starting with porridge in Starbucks.
Then later with a G&T, although I would like to clarify this was with Claire Wacey and she bought me it as a belated birthday drink in lieu of a dirty Martini.



As the initial glow of autumnal air and the pleasure of wrapping up for winter fades, I always find a level of introversion sets in. It explains why we wrap up in lounge pants, over sized cardis and cashmere socks (in my perfect world not necessarily in reality, it is called work in progress) and sit watching films, the TV or reading a book.

It was quite hard to make myself step out into the night air and more so as it meant North London. As things go it was a worthy excursion. Especially for Cybill in Perth as I've found the perfect dress for her!

The forth coming 365 collection continues with an air of simplicity in the cut, ridiculously wonderful quality in the material and 'easy breezy' garments to wear. The main aspect of the 365 range is you can't go wrong. Whatever item you like, when you put it on it, it will 9/10 fit and feel fabulous. There were 9 items I wanted immediately and 4 others I wouldn't say no to.

I think I love the feel of the clothes so much it creates more confidence in respect of wearing. I also like the fact that the pieces have longevity. Of course I couldn't resist a dress up - it was such fun!

Wait for it...

If only this dress was available now I'd be serving Christmas luncheon in it
Wonderful combination of chiffon and sequins - yummy!

Great breton boatneck top and shorts - could wear them all year round

Truly all that glitters is gold

Ok Brad - do you think I could give Angelina a bit of a run for her money, say if you bumped into me in Venice next Summer?

Claire Wacey and the Isabella Oliver team talk 'Matt Cuddles'

You can take the girls out of South London but we can't wait to get back!

Well if the band is playing you gotta dance!

I'm staying in tonight wrapped up reading a book and dreaming of the summer, oh and Matt Cuddles.

Lets the Shows begin

And we are off....yes it starts in New York, fleetingly in London, then Milan and ends in Paris.

First up on Style.com was a Organic by John Patrick. Sweet and cute but dull is the edited, edited version. Actually they wrote a lot better than that, in the way you can dress up fashion show review copy.

It will be a never ending whirl of posts and pics for the next few weeks on the fashion blogosphere but for now I give you your new spring Sunday best. Then you won't moan when the big name shows looks are plastered everywhere, you be glad of the detail and spectacle!

dress: Organic by John Patrick image: Style.com

Take 3 Dresses

The nautical look is a perennial of the spring summer fashion wardrobe. You either love or hate stripes, it is a Marmite thing. For me it is a case of what's not to love. But I advise caution when it comes to buying, not because I'm a believer of some silly rules invented about what you can and can not wear - you know me it is all about proportions and using your eye.

The caution you need to exercise is in the cut of the cloth. Cheaper high street products are fine for the beach but if you want to cut muster out and about then go for quality. I've chosen 3 options to suit taste and body shapes all from my-wardrobe.

McQ Alexander McQueen stripe cape dress £230

Vivienne Westwood Anglomania striped Ariana dress £234

See by Chloe nautical striped frill dress £162

Bringing back blue and brown

As a teenager one of my most rebellious moments was mixing brown and blue to gasps of amazement (read horror) from my friends. It was akin to mixing blue and green or black and navy. My friends were all about Ralph Lauren and I was patted on the head and called quirky.

Yet I seem to recall a phase when everyone wore brown and often with the blue of denim, except me as for years I've found brown a rather risible colour for fabrics other than leather, maybe even velvet.

In short brown has been consigned to a non feature. However, it is making something of a return thanks in part to some clever teaming and less block colour that was a feature of its height in the 90s. The trick is to work brown with other colours to stop it absorbing the light and flattening the look of the garment.

I think this look from PPQ's S/S 10 runway shows that brown has merit again and most definitely when worn with blue.

image: style.com

Make it White Make it Bright

When the sun shines again (for those of us in the UK shrouded in murky grey skies) then one item in your wardrobe you can make do a lot with for the S/S 10 season is a white shirt. If you lack said garment then go get one!


The main difference is you should go for a bit of detail either in the fabric, the cut or the addition of a ruffle or a bow. Wear with denim shorts, khaki rolled up trousers or a skirt and you are good to go.

DVF Matador blouse £255 Matches

Vivienne Westwood Anglomania square blouse £198 my-wardrobe

Vanessa Bruno Athe cotton & sheer silk-blend blouse £115 Net-A-Porter

Full button blouse £85 Reiss

High Street Pick of the Week

It may be snowing, cold and looking at staying that way, but if you are braving the shops then whilst your mind might be on warmth and woolies - spring is in store.

Whatever your preferences I think you will be hard pressed not to add a dash of yellow to your wardrobe for Spring Summer 10. This top from Oasis will work well with jeans, the new structured track suit pant trend or a skirt.

Oasis Multi Yellow Spot Shoulder Detail Shell top £45

Get ready for Spring

Yes I know Christmas hasn't even happened but in fashion terms you should be planning your spring wardrobe ready for March. After all January and February are dud months - post Christmas fatigue, detox specials and poor bank balances all makes for cosy nights in and making do.

You'll be needing to hit the gym or making with the aloe vera as spring fashion is mainly of the body conscious kind. Once again the cut of the cloth veers towards the 80s but reigns itself back from being the brash flash persona of late. Really the garments although opting for 80s lengths owe more to the 30s.

For Spring/Summer 10 (we are in to double figures) think pale pink, lilac, navy and taupe for block colours, with lace and satin , prints and embellishment. The Miu Miu collection encapsulated this perfectly although this is not the only collection to do so, I'm just not in the mood for listing designers!
So my forward planning tips are to pack up your brights and keep your black lace and sequin items to wear with summer dresses and skirts. Think pink but rose, blush and nude.

I've got fat hips but still ate cake

See by Chloe summer tote

My fat hips have been creeping up on me for a while. Well it is more a bit more fat all over in fact, however after seeing Sister Wolf in her great figure splendour at 56 even whilst rocking a walking aide - I knew my hips were inflating. A quick text to Wee Birdy drew me no comfort because a) she had another appointment and we couldn't have a fat hip conflab at the my-wardrobe S/S press event and b) she replied No - fat hips!

So I hauled my fat hips to the my-wardrobe S/S10 press evening last week in the rain. Upon entering the thin hips world of the my-wardrobe crew I adopted a professional frame of mind and set about appraising the collection pushing my hips to one side.

I found this McQ dress first amongst the racks and rack of clothes. I loved the colour and easy shape of it - the material and print is beautiful.



Yet more colour and style in this gorgeous number from Manoush. It is glorious and instantly made me think of summer days even though Christmas hasn't come.

I also fell in love with a beaded jacket from Kite and Butterfly. Very glamorous but equally would work with t-shirt and jeans.

I snapped the summer sandal flats, more updates on the gladiator styles but mostly in sumptuous suede.

Being in the UK one can expect rain in Spring and Summer and what better than these cute welly booties from Vivienne Westwood


And these little beauties are Zandra Rhodes designs who had been backed by an American company whose names escapes me but I was told they'd been selected for SATC2. I heard this quite a few times and all I could think was what hasn't been selected for SATC2. But the shoes really are interesting summer footwear and in strong interesting colours.


I sort of passed on the swimwear due to my fat hips. It was a note to self moment, sort it out! However, the D&G pretty print had a lovely retro feel to it that was strikingly pretty and instantly made me think of Sorrento and Capri (in my dreams).

There was a very Navajo vibe going on in the midst of the usual glitz of summer stuff. I noted these earrings on a perspex table and then the House of Harlow loafers with similar details.


I was impressed with the House of Harlow shoes, well made and good material. The lattice flats are stunning in the flesh and somehow don't translate in a photo.


These See by Chloe wedges hit the nautical note and also reminded me I needed to nip off home. I was tempted by these little beauties on my way out and despite my fat hips a yellow and purple teeny tiny cakes found there way into my mouth - opps!