smoke and mirrors

I love this dress. It has a beautiful smokey grey and pale pink print which looks incredible in a soft summer breeze. Originally it had a tie at the top but I thought it made me look borderline puritanical so I cut them off and re-stitched it to avoid fraying.
I'm planning on wearing it some point this weekend (weather providing).

H&M dress

new heights

Christian Louboutin has added a few more inches to his signiature high heels. The red soled shoes have been specially created with an eight inch heel to resemble ballet pointe shoes for an auction to raise money for the English National Ballet.

However, this is not the first time we have seen these outrageous heels. Beyonce Knowles wore them in her video for 'Green Light' and novice models have been set the impossible task of walking in these shoes on Britain's Next Top Model and America's Next Top Model.

Lets hope whoever buys them in the silent auction frames them or something because I can imagine getting some pretty fatal blisters from heels that high!

patchwork elephant

Does anyone remember Elmer the Elephant?

I bought this bag from a market and when I got it home it reminded me so much of Elmer the patchwork elephant. It was a book that I remember fondly from my kindergarten years about the adventures of this awesome multicoloured elephant and this bag is the essence of Elmer. I love all the colours and tiny handstitched embrioderies in each little section, it's also big enough to carry a baby sized elephant so it's perfect for weekends away.

rain stops play

My Mum and I went to Wimbledon today. It was less than successful. We set off this morning and it was borderline tropical, however, when arriving at Wimbledon the skies decided to open on us. At first it was like being in a monsoon but then the thunder and lightning began and things got even more bleak. Thankfully things started to clear up at around 4 o' clock and we saw some really brilliant tennis from the ladies quarter finals. Although we only saw around two hours of tennis it was still a great day out. Here's hoping I can lay my eyes on Rafael Nadal next time around!

Next blazer, Topshop Boutique dress, H&M cuff, Topshop sandals, Ray Ban sunglasses.
(Nail polish is from the Pirates of the Caribbean for OPI range in steady as she rose)

diamonds are forever

When I moved back home for the summer I did a massive re-organise of my wardrobe and jewellery in a bid to keep my room tidy for more than a few days (which failed miserably). This included quite a substantial throw out. I was happy to throw away clothes that I hadn’t worn in years and shoes that had holes in them, but when it came to jewellery I really struggled to get rid of anything. I ended up actually buying more jewellery rather than getting rid of any. The sad truth is I own very little fancy jewellery as I buy majority of it from the high street. I couldn’t even bear to throw away rings that had been rust colour for years.

During my second year at university I worked in an upmarket jewellery shop. So many people came in with a story or an occasion and they were looking for a specific piece of jewellery to act as a memory or milestone. I don’t think I understood this attachment of items of jewellery until I thought I had lost a pair of silver earrings that I wore to my Grandparents’ 50^th wedding anniversary. In Sex and the City, Carrie is heartbroken when she loses her name necklace, and she is also devastated when she comes across an engagement ring from Aiden which isn’t her taste, leading her to think that Aiden doesn’t know her as well as she thought. Every item of jewellery is like a time capsule in which we are able to store our feelings and memories each time we wear them. I think that is why, unlike clothing which changes with season, we can have strong bonds with our bling.

sunday blues

Eggshell Blue dress by Topshop.

in the nic of time

Just before Christmas I was a dresser for a Harvey Nichols fashion show in Manchester. It was a preview of the new collections by the personal shopping department so many VIP shoppers were among the fashion front row.

It was a pretty hectic experience (but which fashion show isn't?) and myself and the other dressers worked a 12hour day without a break. It was there that I learned how high pressure the fashion world is, and I think that it is these experiences that weed out those who aren't really going to put the effort in to reach the top of the fashion business. So many people go into fashion because they get caught up in the glamour of it and think it is like an episode of The Hills, not realising the dedication, ambition and competitive nature that is essential in such a popular and ruthless industry. I was guilty of being bewitched by the bright lights and expensive clothes but I'm lucky that, through various experiences, I have been able to establish that this is the career for me. I think I had one of those 'ah ha' moments when the model I was dressing didn't look very good in an outfit that was meant to fit the 70s trend and I was given the oppertunity to style her. I chose a very glam Halston Heritage jumpsuit and some Louboutin platforms finished off with D&G accessories and I felt so proud of myself. I don't think I have the eye to be a professional stylist, but that was one of many moments that made me feel confident about my future.

tales from topshop

As I have mentioned in previous posts, I was lucky enough to spend a month interning in the public relations department for Arcadia giants, Topshop. I have had a few requests from friends asking me to share some stories of my time there so I thought, rather than boring everyone with one long post, I am going to share the occasional tale with my blog readers over the next few weeks.

I would like to write posts that are about what people actually want to know about being an intern so if anyone has any specific questions about my time interning, or about fashion PR in general, feel free to leave your questions in the comment section below and I will do my best to answer them in up coming posts.

on the red carpet: rosie huntington- whitelely

Rosie was looking rosey at a photocall for Transformers: Dark of the Moon in Moscow earlier today. The supermodel turned actress has been having a few leg moments on the red carpet recently and she pulled out all the stops in this fuscia Michael Kors asymmetric dress. She looks smoking hot, seriously. Usually I think she can play up to her sex appeal and sometimes I think that can look tacky on the red carpet. In this dress she manages to look sexy and understated which is hard to do in such a bright colour. This is the personification of hot pink.

tanorexic

Today I bought these tan boots in the Topshop sale. I hate sales, always have and always will. I like for clothes to be set out for me to properly view and I hate feeling crowded and rushed when i'm shopping which makes the hectic atmosphere of sales my worst nightmare. So i was surprised when I happened to stumble upon the sale today, not meaning to go shopping at all, and finding that Topshop was uncharacteristically empty.

I got some really lovely things, specifically for my trip to Barcelona in July, and then spotted these boots. I have wanted them since they came out, but I could never decide between the tan and the black but seeing them today made it clear that I needed them! They are such a gorgeous orangey tone of tan and the zip makes them much more clean cut and feminine than laces. They also have about a 1 and a half inch heel so they are really flattering which is always a positive. I would definitely suggest checking out the sale at Topshop, whether online or in store, because not only do they have a wide variety of summer and winter clothing at 30%-50% off they also seem to have much more variety of accessories and shoes in the sale than in previous years.

Boots from Topshop, Shorts from Dorothy Perkins, Cape Cardigan from Topshop, Vest from H&M, Gold Watch by Michael Kors, Gold Cuff by H&M, Copper Ring by Topshop.

on the red carpet: liv tyler

Liv Tyler stepped out last night for the New York premiere of her new movie, The Ledge. The Lord of the Rings actress chose to wear an optical illusion dress by Stella McCartney which utilises black side panels to create a nipped in waist and give the appearance of being smaller than you are- not that she needs it. Liv also rocked the most recent of Hollywood trends, the pointed toe Louboutin. She looks beautiful in my opinion and the colour of the dress is stunning against the colouring of her hair and skin. In the past Liv has been styled by Rachel Zoe and although it is not known whether she used her on this occasion, it was a simple yet striking choice that is typical of this elfin beauty.

black and gold

It's here!

The YSL ring saga is finally over and it was totally worth it. I originally ordered it with a white stone from Selfridges but sadly the item went out of stock before it could be shipped. Luckily, Harvey Nichols had it in this beautiful black and gold stone and I recieved it in the post this afternoon. I love it and cannot wait to expand my collection of these stunning rings over the next few years.

lily loves karl

Confusion erupted when, after weeks of tweeting about her Chanel wedding dress, Lily Allen walked down the aisle in a beautiful Delphine Manivet gown. But do not despair, images have been released of Lily wearing Karl Lagerfeld’s creation at her wedding reception- how very Kate Middleton of her!

                        Lily wearing Delphine Manivet at the ceremony

                                              The Chanel creation

Sadly, I am not a fan of her Chanel reception dress. Blasphemy. I am arguably one of Chanel’s biggest fans and I have adored nearly every item of clothing, shoes, handbags and hosiery that has touched the catwalk

over the last decade. I begged my parents for almost a year to buy me a Chanel handbag for my 18^th birthday and I now treat it as though it is my child, so you can only imagine how disappointed I was to see this tragically lackluster creation that just was not special enough for the special day. The sleeves on the dress are delightful and are by far the best part of the dress but all in all it looks like a sack and a nightgown had a child that then got beaten by the ugly stick. It is not flattering on Lily due to the empire cut, and the lace detailing is too minimal for such a plain dress. I mean, it’s your wedding day, when is there a better time use a truly ornate bit of lace detail? Now or never right?

Forgive me Karl for I have sinned.

i can't live if living is without you

These Brian Atwood shoes aren't my usual style, but for some reason it was love at first sight. Brian Atwood has quickly become one of my favourite shoe designers and I was nearly tempted to spend all of my savings on a black satin pair that I spotted in Selfridges. I was only stopped at the last minute when I reminded myself that if I bought them I would have no money for my girls holiday to Barcelona in July...sun over shoes. But then I came across this pair on net-a-porter and I couldn't help but swoon. The rich nude colour of the satin is divine, and my 15 year old self would simply DIE for the crystal heels. I think I'm so attached to them because they epitomise a 'celebratory' shoe and all I seem to be able to dream about is wearing them for my 21st birthday party in September. Sadly, the price tag (even on sale!) is much too much for my sad little account and I'm not sure if my powers of persuasion will convince my Dad this time around.
Dream on.

Brian Atwood Martina Swarovski crystal-embellished satin peep-toe pumps
was £1090 now £763

dream catch me

Last month, New York native Pamela Love teamed up with retail giant (and personal favourite of mine) Topshop to create Pamela Love for Topshop.

           

Pamela’s jewellery embodies new age punk and romance and because of this she has been in high demand. She has previously collaborated with Zac Posen, Marchesa and Opening Ceremony and her jewellery is heavily featured in the hit series True Blood. Topshop is also famous for its collaborations but Pamela is the first American designer to work with the high street chain.The Pamela Love for Topshop collection is a mix of modern New York style and traditional Southwestern design, drawing inspiration from South America and Native American design.

The collection includes Love’s trademark oxidised silver jewellery as well as beautiful pieces featuring feathers and turquoise. When the range was launched in Topshop’s Secret Store and website I was lucky enough to get my hands on a pair of dream catcher earrings but I am yet to take them out on the town so here’s a sneak peek.