Shopping For: Garden Fresh Buys Inspired by the Chelsea Flower Show

May 22, 2013

Chelsea Flower Show Style Shop the Edit: 1. Floral top by Band of Outsiders | 2. Lilac knit by Topshop | 3. Skater dress by Tibi | 4. Bumble bee earrings by Bill Skinner | 5. Butterfly hair comb by ASOS | 6. Skinny jeans by DVF for Current/Elliot | 7. Pointed courts by Topshop | 8. Mint bag by Mulberry | 9. Bumble bee brooch by Cath Kidston | 10. Ladybird earrings by Cath Kidston

The annual RHS Chelsea Flower Show officially began yesterday, and it’s already providing welcome style inspiration. I suddenly want to dress in two of my grandmother’s favourite colours: lilac and mint green. They’re perfect for this time of year, as they look fabulous with a tan (if you’re lucky enough have one!) and also work well with denim and neutrals. But instead of styling the pastel shades with tried-and-tested floral prints, why not experiment with quirky jewels shaped like insects? Everyone from Cath Kidston to Bill Skinner has jumped on the trend, this season, and it’s fabulous way to tap in to the Chelsea Flower Show style without looking too clichéd.

My favourite buys are Mulberry’s mint green, scallop-edged handbag, DVF’s printed skinny jeans (now discounted at The Outnet) and Topshop’s lilac knit. And if you have countless events to attend this summer, I can’t recommend Tibi’s skater dress enough. It’s incredibly versatile, so you’re sure to get lots of wear out of it!

News From NYFW: Polo Necks, Prince of Wales Checks and Big Grins

February 11, 2013

Nothing can bring New York Fashion Week down, we discovered this weekend. Especially not a blizzard named after an animated fish! The Autumn/Winter 2013 shows continued despite the sub-zero conditions, with editors wearing wellies on the front row and ‘It’ girls doubling-up on coats. The collections were worth suffering numb toes for, luckily, with Tommy Hilfiger, Victoria Beckham and Diane von Furstenberg amongst the highlights. Here are the key trends to note, so far…

Tommy Hilfiger Fall 2013 Prince of Wales checks

Prince of Wales Checks at Tommy Hilfiger: The Tommy Hilfiger show opened with eight menswear-inspired outfits in Prince of Wales checks. The mixture of boyish tailoring and heritage prints was sassy and cool, reminding me a little of Diane Keaton in Annie Hall. I hope Tommy has started a big trend here, as it’s a look I’d like to see more of!

Victoria Beckham Fall 2013 polo neck purple detachable

Polo Necks Make a Comeback at Victoria Beckham: This season Victoria Beckham is also feeling the menswear influence, sending oversized coats, boxy silhouettes and elements of suiting down her AW13 runway. But the polo necks somehow made the biggest impact. For such a small detail they certainly transform a look, and rumour has it Victoria’s polo necks are all detachable. I do love a garment that can be worn in more than one way…

Diane Von Furstenberg Fall 2013 smiles

Models Smile at Diane von Furstenberg: Here’s a fashion week shocker, if ever there was one… At the DVF show the models actually smiled as they walked down the runway. After years of expressionless faces this felt groundbreaking! Here’s hoping Diane’s influence will inspire a change in the industry, and we’ll see big, cheesy grins at every major show.

Are you enjoying New York Fashion Week, so far? Which collections have you liked best? Let me know…

Images style.com

Rachel Zoe, Meryl Streep and Diane von Furstenberg Design Christmas Ornaments

November 5, 2012
Christopher Radko ornaments by Meryl Streep, Diane von Furstenberg and Kelly Ripa
When I was in New York, two weeks ago, I visited the Bloomingdale’s Christmas department. I love the build up to the holiday season, and couldn’t resist getting into the festive spirit early. Beyond my obvious amazement at the cute chocolate selections, I was excited to discover a Christmas ornament designed by Rachel Zoe. The black sequin bauble is totally Rachel, and there are more, designed by Diane von Furstenberg, Meryl Streep, Cyndi Lauper, Milly, Kelly Ripa, Kellan Lutz (why?!) and Brooklyn Decker.
Proceeds from the Christoper Radko 2012 celebrity ornaments go to the Child Mind Institute, and – while I hadn’t come across the project before – it clearly happens annually, as last year Kim Kardashian had a glittery pink bauble. I think it’s such a fun idea. I wish we had something similar at Harrods or Selfridges!
Christopher Radko ornaments by Rachel Zoe, Cyndi Lauper and Milly

You can purchase the Christopher Radko 2012 ornaments at Bloomingdale’s for $40. It’s hard to chose a favourite, but I think I like Meryl Streep and Kelly Ripa’s designs the best.

Are you already getting excited for Christmas? Which celebrity Christmas ornaments do you like best?

Images Bloomingdale’s

Shopping For: Items to Update Last Year’s Winter Coat

October 11, 2012



I’ve got into the habit of buying a new winter coat every year. This is purely because you end up wearing coats for the best part of six months if you live in the UK, and I quickly get bored and like to have new styles. But what if you invested in an amazing winter coat last year and don’t want to purchase another design for AW12? Here I’ve tracked down eight items which will breath new life into your outerwear…
Splendid’s bright pink shirt will look fabulous peeking out of a camel coat, Diane von Furstenberg’s belt will bring structure to oversized designs and the Somerset by Alice Temperley bag (which I discovered at Tuesday’s Twitter Party – #askAlice was trending in the UK) will look brilliant tucked under the arm of a red coat. Get mixing and matching and your winter coat will look brand new!
Are planning to stick with last year’s coat this Autumn/Winter? How will you re-style it for a fresh look?

Shopping For: The Capsule Weekend Wardrobe

October 3, 2012


What do you wear on the weekend? I attempt to stay in pyjamas for as long as possible, but this needs to stop, as I’m missing out on some serious fashion opportunities. Casual clothing has come on in leaps and bounds over the last few seasons, so there are no excuses. Even the reigning queen of polished style, Victoria Beckham, has started dressing down on the odd occasion (photos of Posh wearing sweats and sneakers made headlines around the world).

So how do you master casual dressing? With the capsule weekend wardrobe, of course. Snap up a pair of printed jeans, a bright knit, a pair of statement trainers and a contrast-sleeve coat and you’re onto a winner. And the best thing about the above items is they’re all £220 or less!

Gwyneth Paltrow Covers InStyle US in a DVF Jumpsuit

September 19, 2012
Gwyneth Paltrow covers the October 2012 issue of InStyle US, modelling a berry-coloured jumpsuit by Diane von Furstenberg. This is definitely one of my favourite Gwyneth covers in recent years, as it’s a little bit playful but still in-keeping with the 39-year-old’s sophisticated style. I can even live with the dreaded armpit pose, and that’s usually a deal-breaker for me…

Gwyneth’s latest movie, Thanks for Sharing, has just premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, so I’m pretty sure that’s what she’s promoting in InStyle. Instead of speaking to an InStyle journalist, Gwyneth was actually interviewed by Diane von Furstenberg. Speaking about her much-analyised diet Gwyneth revealed:

“I was very strict for a while. I was macrobiotic for a couple of years, then I got pregnant and just ate ice cream. What I’ve learned is I want to enjoy my life, and food is a big part of it. I love to cook and feed people. I cook every day. I indulge but I don’t like sweets. My indulging is a fresh baguette with cheese and a glass of red wine or French fries and fried zucchini. Or a turkey burger.”

Thanks to Gwyneth I now want cheese and a baguette, followed by a turkey burger. And it’s not even 8.30am. You can see more from Gwyneth’s interview and editorial at InStyle.com.

Do you like Gwyneth Paltrow’s InStyle US cover? Are you surprised to see her in a jumpsuit?

Image fashionscansremastered via thefashionspot.com

«Older Posts