With rings on her fingers and bells on her toes...

I love jewellery, all types. From grungy stacked bangles, to costume jewellery to delicate little pieces that no one else could own. My love for jewellery far outweighs my budget but that doesn't stop me looking! Current favourites are Wright & Teague and Alex Monroe, both have great websites and great pieces.

The main image above are Gala rings from Wright & Teague, they come in Silver (above), gold, rose gold and even platinum. I wear alot of yellow gold, which is family stuff but I like to mix it up and wear silver too. Not for me the no gold and silver together rule! I really like the silver ones and only £200 which means each ring is about £33.33 each - bargain!




Alex Monroe do amazing pieces which are much copied on the high street. I have a bit of a thing for Owls, it's a family thing, my Grandparents loved them, my mother loves them and so do I. So this Alex Monroe locket (above) is just perfect. It looks like a simple, vintage locket but open it up and there is a swinging owl! I love the 22ct gold plated version £360, but it does also come in silver.




Alex Monroe also do bespoke pieces for special occasions, so I know what I'm dreaming about for my next big birthday!

Images from Wright&Teague and AlexMonroe.com

French gossip

The Gossip Girl cast are currently filming season 4, which means lots of fashion goodies for us to feast our eyes on. Great filming pics over at NYmag.

Normally in the fashion stakes I'm team Blair, Serena shows just slightly too much legs and boobs for the average girl! But move over Miss Waldorf because there is a new fashion crush in town (and if spoilers are to be believed a new love interest for Chuck Bass too). Clemence Posy plays the new French girl Eve and her style is as you would expect, Parisian Chic with a twist. I love the Carlos Miele Spring 2010 maxi dress she's wearing (above). It would be perfect for a summer party or even a summer wedding!

Maxi dresses are everywhere on the high street at the moment. From Topshop to Asos. I found a great plain black jersey maxi in New Look, which simple though it is manages to get me compliments every time I wear it. Not bad for a girl who thought she was too short to wear maxi's!

Image thanks to Splash

I want to ride my bicycle

When the sun is shining there is nothing I want more than to go for a leisurely bike ride along the river, stopping off at a pub for a glass of wine then heading home. In this day dream I would never get sweaty or shouted at by motorists and the bike would be Chanel! However, the Chanel bike (at around £6000+) is slightly out of my price range so this summer I have set my sights on a Pashley Princess Classic (vaguely more reasonable at £495+).



In this version of the dream I am still very glamourous and unsweaty but probably would be shouted at by motorists. I wouldn't care though because my basket would be full of flowers and the sun would be shining! I have gone to look at my bike in the cycle shop the way I would normally visit shoes I have decided I want but can't afford. Until I can own my own Pashley I am content with visiting it, and make do with walking along the river.

And if come July 30th I still don't have my own dream bike then I shall rent one in the new Barclays scheme in London. Although looking at the prices, I might be better off with my Pashley, based on cost per use analysis of course!

Images with thanks to Pashley cycles and Chanel

Pretty Little...style

I have a confession to make...I have a weakness for teen tv shows.

I'm pretty sure there is no 12 step program, you're just meant to grow out of it. Well I'm a good few years out of my teens now and I haven't grown out of these shows yet, in fact I have just found a new show to aid my obsession!

Step up Pretty Little Liars. Apparently it's based on a book but I am definately too old to have read those, I just know it as the show. Basic premise: It's about 4 teenage girls whose friend died and now the mysterious "A" is blackmailing them with secrets. So far, so teenage. But other than the plot and the cute male cast, the main thing that has me hooked is the styling.




The costume designer Mandi Line is so smart with the key details! Which is actually harder than it looks (trust me on this one)! All four girls have their own style, labels queen Hannah, preppy Spencer and sporty/casual Emily but by far my favourite is Aria, played by the gorgeous Lucy Hale. Aria is a bit quirky in the way I always wish I'd been. She customises pieces to perfection and is not bothered by what people think of her different look in the confident way that only tv characters can be at that age. The above pic is Aria at her Homecoming dance, channelling Madonna with one glove and Balmain with detailed shoulders!

For more on the girls Homecoming style head over to ABC Family, where there is a great gallery saying where all the pieces are from.

Images with thanks to ABC

Happy Bastille Day!

In honour of Bastille Day I am dreaming of Laduree macaroons...mmmm!

Shopping holiday?

Oh the weather outside is frightful - well not exactly frightful more like a typical British summer, grey but still warm! This kind of weather makes fashion decision difficult because too many clothes and you swelter on the tube, not enough clothes and you freeze! So really what this weather calls for is a holiday; sun, sea, sand and shopping. In this case, shopping Stateside, because sometimes the things you fall in love with happen to be in America and called Mumu's!

In my quest, as mentioned yesterday, to find the perfect smock replacement I stumbled across this site show me your mumu. Now for those who don't know, a mumu is pretty much a long top. Slightly too short to be a proper dress, slightly too long to be just a top. I am in love with the one in the picture above which is called Chief Zack Morris, which I can only hope is a nod to Saved by the Bell! So now I've found a reason to go, I just need air fare, a place to stay, a State to visit, etc. Of course I could just find out if they ship to the UK!

Image with thanks to showmeyourmumu

Once Upon A Time...

...I had a beautiful lilac smock top with purple embroidery. Okay I know it sounds kinda naff but it was the late 1990's I was about 12 and I adored it. Sadly that top is long gone, but the one above from Urban Outfitters could be it's replacement. It's only £55 which for Urban is reasonable and as it's 100% silk, I could dye it lilac, or maybe it would be safer (and nicer) to leave it as it is. Hmmm, decisions!

Image from urbanoutfitters.co.uk

Who's there?

Saw this great picture over on Just Jared this morning, of Rachel Bilson, who is another of my style crushes, carrying clothes into a waiting car. Not sure what it was for or why she was carrying them loose like that but I don't care if it means getting a sneak peak at her wardrobe!

Image with thanks to Just Jared

J'adore Couture

Christian Dior Fall 2010 Couture

Couture week always makes me sad, well okay not sad per say more like extremely jealous that I'm not there, and even if I was that the pieces are a tad out of my mere mortal price range. I didn't have a favourite show from Paris Couture week this year, but as usual I had a lot of favourite pieces.

Valentino Fall 2010

The biggest surprise for me was Valentino, which seemed a lot more accessible than we are used to seeing from Couture. Don't be surprised to see variations of the bow detailing (above) on a high street near you soon.

Chanel Fall 2010

Of course when you think Couture, you think Chanel and Karl Lagerfeld didn't disappoint. From painstakingly detailed embroidered coats to a wedding suit in white and gold no detail was missed. But for me, the piece I am most lusting over was the bracelets. Worn with each look, either stacked up the arm or just a few, they are gorgeous in their gothic heavy detail. They'd look divine worn in the slightly grungy heavily layered style the Olsen twins favour. As I'm not an Olsen twin, it seems unlikely that Chanel will be popping round with a gift bag for me anytime soon, so I'll be layering heavy (cheaper) bracelets in hope for the same effect!

Images credit Style.com

Madge, Dolce & Gabbana - if it ain't broke...

I was just doing a quick browse of the "blogworld" before signing off the net for the evening and boy am I glad I did, because I stumbled across the latest Dolce & Gabbana Fall 2010 images on style.com. I think all the shots are gorgeous but love does not describe what I feel about this particular shot. Yes he's half her age and yes she has been more than a little photoshopped but still. His double breasted suit is just divine; 6 buttons, wide lapels. Boys the double breasted is coming back for Autumn and if you have the height (and/or budget) to wear one but insist on wearing anything else I shall be disappointed!

As for Madonna herself, her figure looks phenomenal in what looks like a simple black dress but creates a classic Dolce & Gabbana silhouette. The handbag is the piece I am particularly lusting over though, I can already think of a million and one places I could wear it too.

Now where did I put my euromillions ticket...

Images from Style.com, Steven Klein / Courtesy of Dolce & Gabbana

Kate and Alex = crushworthy double denim

Kate Bosworth is one of my girl fashion crushes, so expect some gushing about her laid-back look. Her loose layered tees paired with slouchy jeans are perfect for a summer afternoon trip to the supermarket. And as I am currently rocking some slouchy jeans (Gap mens slim fit) I can't help lust after hers which are quite possibly J Brand, a label she favours.

But I have to be honest the thing I'm lusting after most is not her Alexander Wang bag but her man, Alexander Skarsgard. Now I only know who he is because of my love for her (I did mention my fashion crush) but based on this superb double denim outing, I might have to start paying him more attention. So gentlemen take note, double denim doesn't have to look like you took a wrong turn on the way to a hoedown, it can look slim-lined and stylish.

Image with thanks to Just Jared

Goodbye Football, Congratulations Spain

Despite it being on for almost a month it's only now that the World Cup is over that I miss it. I miss the constant droning of commentators, the constant speculation about team formation and selection, but mostly I miss the fact that this beautiful Louis Vuitton monogrammed case won't be seen again for another four years. The chances of me ever getting my hands on the world cup are slim to none (with emphasis on the none) but the chances of me one day owning this case may be closer to slim. And that's enough for me.

Image thanks to Louis Vuitton twitpic.