London calling
I'm sitting at my gate waiting to board a flight to London. It's May and I feel like I ought to have sunny thoughts swirling around in my head but instead I have a snuggly Dagmar jacket wrapped around me. I'm not going to lie, I look a bit like a yeti. Anyway, this gives me the chance to think back to all the warm wooly looks I snapped back in February during LFW... I love the fluffy textures and the evident power of a basic white shirt.
Dangit. Why didn't I pack one?!
GIVEAWAY: FASHION TARGETS BREAST CANCER T-SHIRTS... NOW CLOSED.
Thanks to River Island you've got the chance to win a t-shirt that supports Breakthrough Breast Cancer. I have six tops to giveaway: three of the Fabulous (which I'm wearing above) and three of the Amazing. Just leave a comment below to enter. Six people will be chosen one week from today. If you're chosen, I hope you'll wear your shirt with pride and help spread the word about this important cause.
Find out more about Breakthrough Breast Cancer here.
p.s. the graffiti is in no way related to this post, I just like it.
PLEASE NOTE - GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED. Winners will be announced soon. xx
FASHION TARGETS BREAST CANCER WITH RIVER ISLAND...
For fifteen consecutive years River Island have teamed up with Breakthrough Breast Cancer to support the Fashion Targets Breast Cancer campaign. This year they've designed two T-shirts - 30% of all sales go directly to the charity. Now, that's something worth supporting.
I was asked to put together a little outfit from the brand's current collection that features the Fabulous T-shirt. I don't normally shop at River Island but I was pretty into a few of the pieces on the website - these silky printed shorts were a stand out piece. They got me compared to MC Hammer on a number of occasions, which means they are now officially my favorite shorts. I was also pretty excited to try out these faux Isabel Marant hidden wedge sneakers. Oh my, I love them and (sadly) now my craving for the original pair has only been elevated to a whole new level of obsession.
The heatwave means every spare minute of my time will now be spent outside soaking up the sunshine. I discovered an awesome new area on the west side of the lake in Zurich... the water is still a bit too cold for swimming but lounging in the grass and eating ice-cream works just fine for me at the moment. There are freaking spectacular views of the alps and lots of graffiti artists to watch if you're after a bit of live entertainment.
All items from River Island: FTBC fabulous tank, Pacha shorts, Bomber jacket, Wedge high tops, Straw clutch, Engraved ring.
SUNDAYS WERE MADE FOR CAKE...
There is definitely a little anti-social bug nestled deep within me. I love spending the weekend inside wearing cashmere jumpers and silk shorts. It's a little odd but baking feels like a miniature luxury... eating the cake afterwards is obviously the best part. I've yet to perfect the appearance of my baked goods. They always come out a little wonky - they're often lopsided and the frosting never seems to go on quite right. Oh well, I console myself with the fact that they always taste delicious... surely that's what really matters?
p.s. I learnt a little trick: sprinkle fanta on your cake once it's cooled to make it extra-super-duper moist.
Wearing: LUCZA cashmere jumper and silk shorts.
France
Although leather baseball hats are currently all the rage, I'd just like to say that are actually really stupid. If it's hot the last thing you want to wear is a black freaking leather hat... when I stood in the sun my head was boiling. England, this trend was made for you.
There's nothing I love more than being swept off to a far away city...
Errr, I say that from my sofa where I've spent the last four days sitting on my tush nibbling on random bits of chocolate bunnies and staring at a TV. Did anyone else fall for the wonderfulness that is where me keys? Please, tell me I'm not alone. The most exciting thing I'd planned for this long holiday weekend was painting my nails and I haven't even managed to get that done. I promise, I'm not always quite this useless. The weather went all wintery a couple of day ago and I had no choice but to throw myself head-first into hibernation mode as soon as snow starting falling.
A couple of weeks ago I went to Paris to help celebrate the 20th anniversary of Disneyland Paris. As a total Disney nut I naturally jumped at the opportunity. Vienna International Hotels were the most wonderful hosts and I was super excited to go because my husband got to come along for the ride and Shini also came from London. We all stayed at the Dream Castle Hotel and, when we weren't spinning around on the teacups, saw a cabaret show, watched the Eiffel Tower glitter at midnight and spent a morning at Chateau Fontainebleau jumping on Marie Antoinette's bed (just kidding.. it was roped off). We got in earlier than anyone else and before lunch I managed to sneak in a run, a swim and spent half an hour in the sauna.
At Chateau Fontainebleau I just about keeled over - incredible beauty burst out of every bit of the building. The rooms were the epitome of anti-minimalism. Decadence and lavish embellishment were in mighty abundance... my white walls look grossly inadequate now.
This outfit is basically what I've been wearing non-stop recently. It has all my favorite things: Patouf jumper, 7 for all Mankind jeans, Mykita sunglasses, white Converse, Muriee cashmere scarf and Shini's leather hat (that I snuck out of her suitcase). Although leather baseball hats are currently all the rage, I'd just like to say that are actually really stupid. If it's hot the last thing you want to wear is a black freaking leather hat... when I stood in the sun my head was boiling. England, this trend was made for you.
I've never been that drawn to France but after this trip I'm aching to go back, even if it's just to visit L'ATMO again for lunch...
Massive thank you to Sabine and Vienna International Hotels for inviting me on the best press trip ever.
p.s. view more photos over on Facebook.
WE ARE HANDSOME
As I wiggled my way into this dress I felt myself being transported to another place altogether... to that world where life is bathed in golden sunshine. You can't help but feel a little wonderful with all that elasticated sex-appeal sucking you in from every angle.
I was considering whether I ought to start this post with a melodramatic story about beaches, mojitos and bronzed skin. It was to be set in a land where everyone is flawless and dripped in unending sunshine. People named Sven and Tiffany lounge by glistening pools and live off bubblegum, they have nothing to do and nowhere to go. In my mind, this is the world that the We Are Handsome customer belongs to.
I was wondering if the brand, that's become synonymous with edgy videos and growling animals, could be transported into real life. It's all skin-tight stretchy fabric... surely this isn't meant for city streets or real people? Rihanna might be able to pull it off but that doesn't mean anyone else can. Each piece seems to encapsulate the allure of summer, making the mind-blowing body conscious pieces just too good to resist.
WAHOutfit
As I wiggled my way into this dress I felt myself being transported to another place altogether... to that world where life is bathed in golden sunshine. You can't help but feel a little wonderful with all that elasticated sex-appeal sucking you in from every angle. Yeah, I might have just been walking down the grey streets of London but I felt like, if I could just skip through the right alley, I'd wind up being transported somewhere exotic.
I wore this floral print dress with a slouchy black cardigan and Converse for a bit of balance. In my world tight and short always require a bit of de-sexifying and nothing does that quite as well as a bunch of fresh flowers pushed into a brown leather bag. Yumm. I wish I had flowers on standby to carry with me everyday... they make the perfect accessory (potentially even better than a puppy).
I also tried a swimsuit with a mega low dipped back. It was gorgeous and I loved it under a pair of jeans. If your swimsuit is this crazy beautiful then it deserves to be worn during the day. I'm now a little obsessed with the dreamy prints and skin-tight fits that We Are Handsome does so well. These are definitely the sort of pieces that could easily migrate into my daily life, they don't just have to be worn on yachts or music videos.
Wearing: We Are Handsome dress and swimsuit (via Pfeffer PR), Stylein jumper, Swedish Hasbeens bag, Lucy Folk bracelets, and Mykita sunglasses.
Photos by Kit
PARIS: THE BONUS BUNCH...
Ooo, la la, Paris Fashion Week... how wonderful you were.
Before the Valentino show I overheard a man whispering to two women. 'This is the bloggers catwalk,' he sneered as he pointed down at the white plastic sheet that had been laid out across the wet gravel. Actually, it's the unavoidable path for anyone going to a show in the Tuileries. The bizarre thing is, no matter how important you are your car still has to let you out a short trek away from the venue's entrance which means everyone gets the pleasure of strutting their stuff down the white tarp. Photographers swarm around at the sides waiting for their prey and the perfect moment to pounce.
Here's a little selection of shots that haven't made it up anywhere but that I love a little.
p.s. I'm now desperate for a kilt that I can layer over slouchy jeans, and a clutch like Susie's that has a little hand strap.
FLORAL LEGS...
Man, I failed on my vow to wear only black until hot weather came. Oh well, please forgive me... I guess I bore quickly. Plus, the lure of spring is just too strong. Instead of baring my legs I've decided to cover them in floral prints. I'm probably guilty of wearing skinny jeans far too often but at least these make the standard shape feel somewhat new. I like wearing them with this Muriee T-shirt that has a faint pink polka dot pattern on it. Perfect for doing a bit of print clashing but discreetly.
Wearing: 7 for all Mankind Garden Party jeans, Muriee T-shirt and cashmere scarf, Sambag tote, Bottletop Luciana purse, Moxham pink clutch, Rayban aviators, Topshop ring, Madewell jacket and Zara shoes.
OBSESSED: CO|TE AW12...
I'm big time drooling over the AW12 collection from Italian brand CO|TE...
The simple wearable shapes are straight up my alley. I love the metallic short skirts, boyish thick knits and streamlined silhouette. There's a sort of stark linear graphic line running through many of the items. The dress with cinched in waist above is amazing. I love the longer sleeve length and high neck - contrasted with the short length it doesn't feel too grown up or too serious (neither of which I am). Plus, the contrasting colors give it a sort of sci-fi feel - anything that makes me feel like I should be hanging out with Captain Kirk in the Starship Enterprise gets bonus points in my books.
p.s. the cream jacket (below right) would be delicious to wear. I'm thinking, that if you were wearing it, it would feel like you were getting a massive bear hug the entire day and that can only be a very good thing
A FROTHY HERMIT...
I'm currently all about latte macchiatos with lots of frothy foam from Henrici, my favorite Zurich cafe. Because the weather is so rubbish I feel the epitome of anti-fashion. I'm mourning the loss of spring and have made an oath to only wear black until it gets warm again. Lame weather can't stop my fingers from pretending it's hot outside though... minty green nails are my way of sticking it to the weather man. Booyakasha.
Wearing: mint green nail polish from Barry M and Topshop ring.
SECHSELÄUTEN: THE BURNING SNOWMAN...
Everything is better when you add fresh flowers...
On Monday afternoon the streets of central Zurich were taken over by a parade of the guilds - complete with old-fashioned outfits, marching bands, lots of beer, plus old men throwing candy and fish (?!). Apparently it's the sort of cheesy traditional event that you should only go to once but, quite honestly, I love it. The weather has been RUBBISH recently and, even though it was freezing and raining, it was totally inspirational to see the entire city covered in flowers. There's a strange exchange of flowers between people in the parade and people watching... it eventually ends with handfuls of gorgeous floral arrangements being handed out to any kid that shouts loud enough at the person passing by - next year I'm bringing a fog horn.
They might be old-fashioned costumes but I loved seeing all the outfits in the parade. There were some amazing hats and the shoes with buckles reminded me of the Miu Miu AW12 collection (yumm - buckle bows). Loads of people wore necklaces with big pretzels attached to the end... I'm thinking this is something I should start including in my daily look.
Ah yes, that's some Swiss beer with a flower and next to it is the böögg. The böögg is a snowman that's been stuffed with explosives. Bizarre, right? Everyone gathers around and watches as a fire gradually moves up towards the snowman, waiting for the head to explode. #TotesBizarre - the faster it explodes the better the summer is meant to be. This year it took 12 minutes and 7 seconds - not too bad.
Come on summer, I'm ready for you.
OMG, I HAVE NOTHING I WANT TO WEAR...
Lately, I've found myself feeling disenchanted with the contents of my wardrobe. But this weekend it reached an all time low...
Running 10 minutes late already, I was standing in my towel staring blankly inside my closet. I had to pull together every morsel of maturity because what I wanted to do was hurl myself onto the floor and launch into a psychotic fit. I HAVE NOTHING TO WEAR, I kept whimpering in pathetic desperation until my husband finally walked over and started pulling things out, 'What about this?' He went through tons of stuff. Each item he suggested received an immediate response: too tight, too loose, too itchy, too low, too high, too sheer, too thick, too long, too short...
'You're right,' he finally said. 'You have nothing to wear.'
Umm... what? Other people aren't meant to agree! The 'I have nothing to wear' dilemma is an age-old problem between a girl and her wardrobe. Of course, there is stuff to wear. It's just a matter of whether you want to wear any of it. Clearly I don't. I'm not entirely sure how I've reached this point of absolute disenchantment. Maybe it's a passing phase? But, I'm thinking of making a pile of the things I love (I swear it will be like 10 items) and getting rid of the rest. I've done so many closet clear outs over the past year but it still feels like there is too much of what I don't like. Does anyone else have this problem or am I just massively wardrobely challenged? I've started scouring online shops for pieces that would make my life easier when getting dressed - starting with tops. They aren't anything revolutionary but I've always thought that getting your basics right is the first step.
Image features: James Perse grey T-shirt, Comme des Garcons striped top and Acne shirt.
Disneyland, Paris
Cover me in bubble wrap and stick me in a box… I want to be shipped back to Disney. Some people like to launch into a philosophical discussion at the mere mention of Disney’s descent onto Europe. Would France have been a better place had Mickey and his theme park stuck to the sunny shores of the US?
Cover me in bubble wrap and stick me in a box... I want to be shipped back to Disney.
Some people like to launch into a philosophical discussion at the mere mention of Disney's descent onto Europe. Would France have been a better place had Mickey and his theme park stuck to the sunny shores of the US? Personally, I'd rather wear Minnie Mouse ears, eat pink food and ride on the teacups all day long than worry about those things. I literally could have stayed in that sunny park forever.
Riyka top
Thanks again to Vienna International Hotels for inviting me on the best press trip ever.
p.s. I wore a Riyka top, 7 for all Mankind jeans, Moxham taba bracelet and Converse... perfect for running between rides with Shini.
THE LITTLE DETAILS...
It doesn't matter how many times I see them, I'm still OBSESSED with these little Prada crystal earrings. They're totally kitsch but I love them for their garish charm. Hedvig wears hers with a big o'l dose of Acne (jacket, bag, shoes), Karl fingerless leather gloves and a Joseph jumper. If I had these earrings I'd pair them with a soft white T-shirt and oversized boyfriend jeans.
Oh yeah, come on... who wants to get me these earrings for my birthday?
WRAPPED AROUND MY FINGER...
'Oooooo, I want this!'
That's what I shrieked in the middle of an exhibition tent at London Fashion Week when I first made contact with Kyle Hopkins and his awesome spread of jewelry. #Cringe Woman, learn how to contain yourself. This is fashion week... not a freaking flea market. You can't just go around grabbing stuff off stands and shoving it onto your finger. But I couldn't help myself.
Thankfully, Kyle didn't seem to mind. Instead of snarling at me he joined in the adoration, explaining the stories behind some of his favorite pieces. The lip ring, for example, is made from the mold of his first kisses' lips. Swoon, what a romantic. Although some of Kyle's pieces have a heavy dark side there is also something delicate and ethereal about them. Its been weeks and I still can't get the little ring pictured above out of my head. How perfectly sweet would it be to receive it from the one you love with a little note that reads, 'You've got me wrapped around your finger.'
