Something for the weekend

Oh it has been a long dark week for fashion so lets have a lighter note for the weekend. Tomorrow I will be breakfasting in the Popham Little Chef (made famous due to a revamp by Heston Blumenthal) on the way to a girlie weekend. I will enjoy an uninterrupted 30 minutes of bliss whilst I read The Guardian. Ah already I'm in heaven thinking about it. Now all I need is the perfect fantasy weekend outfit to enjoy the sojourn.

Bottega Veneta Brick intrecciato leather weekend bag Net-A -Porter £2,405

Joseph Wool-blend hooded poncho Net -A- Porter £460



MIH Jeans Marrakesh mid-rise £154 Matches



Sonia by Sonia Rykiel Red Anchor appliqué sweater £208 My-wardrobe

PIA Camel Woven Tassel Crepe heel loafers £85 Topshop

A bad girl's guide to buying - part one

When I embarked on my style challenge it was with the knowledge of having a budget of only £100 a month. I was extremely joyful when out of my beret I pulled the designer category.

In my head it gave me exciting options to recreate looks and really work my wardrobe well. At first I felt the opportunities were endless because if you look factually at the range of options to buy designer then The Outnet, eBay, TK Maxx and charity shops plus car boot sales then you can do it all within a reasonable budget.

At first I was flush with success, a Valentino skirt, (The Outnet) a Calvin Klein dress and a Pringle jumper (TK Maxx). All 3 have been wonderful and yes I will get round to posting 5 ways to wear one skirt but I'm enlisting a photographer for the shoot as it requires more than bedroom posing!

Then of course I fell off the wagon with a mad frenzy on one Saturday in late January in the high street stores. It was like being let lose in a sweetie shop. I got completely carried away but I did buy a blouse from H&M which is a winner, a pleated skirt from Topshop which I love but if I'm honest it is rubbish quality and won't last 2 minutes, plus some sale shoes for £14 in Zara which I have worn as going out shoes three times now and I love them.

After that I abandoned all attempts to stick to the challenge, it seemed utterly pointless but then when bad girl's fall they do it big style! I did buy a top from Zara which then was returned because the material was damaged and I hadn't noticed. It was £39.99 so it had to go back. You can't wear something once, realise it is damaged and then think it is ok not to return the item. Luckily Zara were marvellous and completely agreed with me.

So now I'm back to re-evaluating my buying strategy. I always have a plan. Styling has made me ultra organised and I plan outfits, how my wardrobe works and what to buy and why.

Suddenly as I wave bye bye to styling, not only do I feel a huge weight off my shoulders regarding the incompatibility of the work with my parental responsibilities, I feel quite liberated in terms of what to buy and why.

I feel as if I'm going to be dressing purely for me. Which sounds silly as I've always worn what I like but I've equally felt the pressure to exude a notion of what people are buying off me and have dressed accordingly.

I'm good at putting on a performance with my selection of clothes and I thoroughly enjoy working a look but now I'm going to be buying purely for pleasure. It is a different angle for selecting and buying.

I will reveal as I buy...

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!!

Jane Russell - what a beauty

It was really sad to wake up to the news of Jane Russell's death as she was one of my favourite actresses and it was her and Marilyn Monroe who formed part of my MA dissertation on the red dress thanks to their stellar performance in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953). If you haven't seen it then make sure you do. Jane Russell is wonderful and delivers great gags and comic timing, as does Marilyn. The pair are fabulous together.

The death of Jane Russell really is an end of an era when it comes to 1940s stars. Her Hollywood career ended at the end of the 1950s. She was a real bombshell!

Retail Focus - how to make your customers love you

I was so out of sorts yesterday after the Galliano video clip. And the petit garcon was at home due to an inset day at school. I thought I would brighten our day up by finally getting him some new school shoes.

Off we popped to our local shopping mecca Kingston upon Thames. It had turned all miserable and cold but we were cheered by a young lad busking his heart out with his accoustic guitar. The garcon and I put in the money and discussed how he might like to do this when he is older and carried on with our chores.

I had the misfortune to have to return some items. One was a lovely necklace from Topshop, a Freedon one. It got tangled when I leaned forward and then I tried to untangle it and it got worse! It was a design nightmare, a right royal rubix cube of a mess up. I decided to take it back as it cost £25 and I had only worn it once, during the capsule wardrobe week.

The necklace is/was great but I'm sorry it was a design fault as it could get proper tangled. When I nipped in to Topshop, and explained truthfully what had happened and then I got what I call the 'off' treatment. Where was the tag and they could accept no responsibility if it didn't have the tag is was sold on. Then they had to get the manageress who equally said it wasn't their problem as Freedom is a concession. Well, I stood my ground ref faulty goods and the view was they would have to check with Freedom that the necklace was the price that showed on my receipt. 30 minutes later, I even went to the bank, I had my money refunded. What was that all about!

Then return number 2 was another capsule wardrobe item, my gorgeous polka dot top from Zara. Unfortunately the top is made from silk and it had a run in the fabric I hadn't noticed when I wore it, only after when I took it off. I'd only worn it for a few hours and had done the classic cutting the irritating labels off - but the service in Zara couldn't have been much different. Concern, what a shame and making the return the nicest experience and not making me feel an eejit.


Zara got the 10/10 and Topshop 2/10. I felt really cross with Topshop, I don't think I've ever returned personal items ever and I cannot abide being made to justify anything.

Now that Mary Portas has firmly focused us on the detail, do you feel more empowered and right as a consumer?

Goodbye Galliano

Whilst this post is pre the Dior announcement of what will be happening to John Galliano in respect of the meeting with the public prosecutors in Paris, the idea of a farewell is not presumptuous or unfounded.

The moment I watch the unfortunate clip, Galliano became dead in my eyes. It was a worthy Oscar winning performance if the film had required a bitter, washed up, lonely figure at the end of his career or with little or no belief in his self worth. The characterisation and narrative would have shocked and revealed the most insightful point of the demise of a character.


If this were a film then we would be transported to a Parisian apartment or Ibiza villa, 20 years hence where a 70 year old man left to his own devises would be interviewed by a well meaning student or journalist to give an account of his remarks. We would find no remorse, no recognition and still the same views recanted at leisure.

It is a sad fact that with egos and adulation a rather self centred view of ones importance and ones opinions takes over. Let us not confuse this with madness, as madness manifested as depression or psychosis rarely lends to a bitter sweet revelation of the person's mind. Instead madness is a whirlwind of self abuse, fear and paranoia that lashes out to destroy or protect the individual.

There will be many who offer an explanation, will draw comparisons between their own behaviour/addiction/recovery and attempt to find an aspect of humanity we should show compassion for, but for every excuse or proffered explanation the untold damage to others is brushed aside. Whilst I pity Galliano my revulsion is far greater.

Galliano's performance reminded me of Orson Welles and Welles was a devastatingly good actor so much so the performance seemed real. In this case the performance was real and whilst one can look to make excuses, there are no excuses. Forgiveness is one thing, to forget is another.

Dior is now sullied as a fashion house by their creative director's words and actions. It will be goodbye Galliano and unlike Lee McQueen we cannot shed any tears.

Red dress night

All hail this years Oscars red carpet walk as it was truly red. Yes the return of the red dress signals attitude and new directions (whether for good or bad) and Sandra Bullock for one needed and worked the Vera Wang red dress on her red carpet walk. I love a red dress and feel it is rightfully re-established.

Images: The Daily Mail

Second wear & show

Last Saturday I wore an outfit that a few of you asked for photos of the jumpsuit front on. Well since I wore the exact same look again this Saturday - different place, different people, why break the mould - I attempted to take some photos. The usual, in the bedroom, a bit of a mess which isn't like me and slightly blurry photos which most definitely is.

Jumpsuit Topshop, tan skinny belt Isabella Oliver, shoes Zara & oversized cardi thing Joseph

High Street Pick of the Week

Since I've already posted about the merits of a pair of flared jeans in one's wardrobe already, this week's high street pick of the week is a bit of a rehash. But a worthy one.

As I rightly identified the high street is embracing the 70s with love and flare *ahem*.

Reiss is no exception and the aptly named 1971 range yields the obviously named Birkin high waist kick flare for £89. The colour quality and cut is so good Ms Olivia Palermo popped in this week to Reiss's flagship London store for her pair (and no she didn't pay for them, allegedly).

The Birkin comes in the indigo, a wonderful 70s blue and a gorgeous camel coloured version which I'm rather partial to because it says Farah Fawcett Major more than Jane Birkin, get those rollers heating up now and a pristine white shirt!

Psst don't tell Anna

She (Anna) really doesn't like me (Bridget Wintour) wearing tights and if she found out I actually added socks when I wore boots to keep my toes warm I dread to think what would happen.


So don't tell her and don't tell her I haven't been to the dry cleaners yet either, it is hard being a younger sister!